by APOD Robot » Sun Nov 28, 2021 5:11 am
A High Cliff on Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Explanation: This high cliff occurs not on a planet, not on a moon, but on a comet. It was discovered to be part of the dark nucleus of
Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko (CG) by
Rosetta, a robotic spacecraft
launched by
ESA that rendezvoused with the Sun-orbiting comet in 2014. The ragged cliff, as
featured here, was imaged by Rosetta in 2014. Although towering about one kilometer high, the low surface gravity of
Comet CG would likely make it an
accessible climb -- and even a
jump from the
cliff survivable. At the foot of the cliff is relatively smooth terrain dotted with
boulders as large as 20 meters across. Data from
Rosetta indicates that the ice in
Comet CG has a significantly different
deuterium fraction -- and hence likely a
different origin -- than the water in Earth's oceans.
Rosetta ended its mission with a controlled impact onto Comet CG in 2016.
Comet CG has just completed another close approach to Earth and
remains visible through a small telescope.
[url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211128.html] [img]https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/S_211128.jpg[/img] [size=150]A High Cliff on Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko[/size][/url]
[b] Explanation: [/b] This high cliff occurs not on a planet, not on a moon, but on a comet. It was discovered to be part of the dark nucleus of [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/67P/Churyumov%E2%80%93Gerasimenko]Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko[/url] (CG) by [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosetta_(spacecraft)]Rosetta[/url], a robotic spacecraft [url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap091123.html]launched[/url] by [url=https://www.esa.int/]ESA[/url] that rendezvoused with the Sun-orbiting comet in 2014. The ragged cliff, as [url=http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2014/12/Comet_on_10_December_2014_NavCam]featured[/url] [url=https://cumbriansky.wordpress.com/2014/12/17/the-cliffs-of-churyumov-gerasimenko/]here[/url], was imaged by Rosetta in 2014. Although towering about one kilometer high, the low surface gravity of [url=http://blogs.esa.int/rosetta/2014/12/15/cometwatch-10-december/]Comet CG[/url] would likely make it an [url=https://img4.findglocal.com/701/514/1101350047015142.jpg]accessible climb[/url] -- and even a [url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap140210.html]jump[/url] from the [url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201129.html]cliff[/url] survivable. At the foot of the cliff is relatively smooth terrain dotted with [url=https://blogs.esa.int/rosetta/2014/10/09/boulder-close-up/]boulders[/url] as large as 20 meters across. Data from [url=https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/rosetta-philae/in-depth/]Rosetta[/url] indicates that the ice in [url=https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/asteroids-comets-and-meteors/comets/67p-churyumov-gerasimenko/in-depth/]Comet CG[/url] has a significantly different [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deuterium]deuterium[/url] fraction -- and hence likely a [url=https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Rosetta/Rosetta_fuels_debate_on_origin_of_Earth_s_oceans]different origin[/url] -- than the water in Earth's oceans. [url=https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Rosetta/Mission_complete_Rosetta_s_journey_ends_in_daring_descent_to_comet]Rosetta ended its mission[/url] with a controlled impact onto Comet CG in 2016. [url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211022.html]Comet CG[/url] has just completed another close approach to Earth and [url=https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/famous-comet-67p-c-g-closest-nov-2021-until-2214/]remains visible[/url] through a small telescope.
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