Imagine: with a wasteland as their canvas, a Master and his young Apprentice set about turning rubble into planets and moons, asteroids and comets. They levitate the worlds above their heads, spinning them in orbit around their symbolic Sun.
“What is the key to life on Earth?” asks the Master.
The Apprentice shakes her head. The answer is … Read the rest of this article
Visitors to ESA’s Technology Centre had a chance to get up close and personal with a model of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko during the centre’s Open Day on 5 October. The real comet, which is just over 4 km at its widest point, is about 1500 times larger than the model.
After a decade-long journey, travelling more than 6 billion km, ESA’s … Read the rest of this article
Rosetta’s lander Philae will target Site J, an intriguing region on Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko that offers unique scientific potential, with hints of activity nearby, and minimum risk to the lander compared to the other candidate sites.
Site J is on the ‘head’ of the comet, an irregular shaped world that is just over 4 km across at its widest point. The … Read the rest of this article
On Tue, Sep 2, at 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM (CEST), the ESA are holding a Google+ On Air Hangout to talk about the possible landing sites on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko for Rosetta’s lander Philae.
The Hangout will also include a live draw for participants who took part in their ‘Rosetta, are we there yet?‘ photo contest – watch … Read the rest of this article
Using detailed information collected by ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft during its first two weeks at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, five locations have been identified as candidate sites to set down the Philae lander in November – the first time a landing on a comet has ever been attempted.
Before arrival, Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko had never been seen close up and so the race to … Read the rest of this article
If you missed the live Rosetta rendezvous with Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko this morning, the above video is a replay of the event, including interviews with various scientists and engineers. Just be aware that the replay is about 3 hours long! … Read the rest of this article
Stunning close up detail focusing on a smooth region on the ‘base’ of the ‘body’ section of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The image was taken by Rosetta’s OSIRIS narrow-angle camera and downloaded today, 6 August. The image clearly shows a range of features, including boulders, craters and steep cliffs. The image was taken from a distance of 130 km and the image … Read the rest of this article
After a decade-long journey chasing its target, ESA’s Rosetta has today become the first spacecraft to rendezvous with a comet, opening a new chapter in Solar System exploration.
Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko and Rosetta now lie 405 million kilometres from Earth, about half way between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars, rushing towards the inner Solar System at nearly 55 000 kilometres … Read the rest of this article
Tomorrow morning at 8:00AM GMT (4AM EST), The ESA’s Rosetta probe will rendezvous with Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. It will be the first mission in history to rendezvous with a comet, escort it as it orbits the Sun, and deploy a lander to its surface. Watch the rendezvous live here.
Below is a timeline of the most crucial steps leading to … Read the rest of this article
NASA is taking steps to protect its Mars orbiters, while preserving opportunities to gather valuable scientific data, as Comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring heads toward a close flyby of Mars on Oct. 19.
The comet’s nucleus will miss Mars by about 82,000 miles (132,000 kilometers), shedding material hurtling at about 35 miles (56 kilometers) per second, relative to Mars and … Read the rest of this article
The Sun Now (Visible light)
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The Sun Now (H-Alpha light)
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Aurora Oval
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Aurora Oval
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