14 August 2015 News

Fun in the sun with Rosetta: comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko at perihelion

More stunning images of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko at its closest approach to the sun have just been published by the European Space Agency.

Amazing things – including jets and other outburst events – happen to comets at perihelion (the point in their orbit at which they are closest to the sun), and for the first time ever, humanity has virtually a front row seat.

On top of that, ESA has also now published a mesmerising interactive viewer of the comet.

The viewer in particular is a good demonstration of just how much our knowledge of the comet has widened following Rosetta’s historic comet landing.

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