Photos: Europe's Rosetta Comet Mission in Pictures

Rosetta Comet Spacecraft: Artist's View

ESA - J. Huart

An artist's illustration of the European Space Agency's comet-chasing Rosetta spacecraft in deep space. The probe and its Philae lander are due to arrive at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in August 2014.

Rosetta First Light

ESA

The OSIRIS Narrow Angle Camera aboard ESA's Rosetta probe captured this image on March 21, 2014, showing Comet 67P/Churymov-Gerasimenko in the constellation Ophiuchus. [Read the Full Story Here]

Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko on April 30, 2014

SA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA

Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko seen towards the constellation of Ophiuchus (note that from the vantage point of Earth, both the comet and Rosetta are presently in Sagittarius), with the globular cluster M107 also clearly visible in the field of view. The image was taken on 30 April 2014 by the OSIRIS Narrow Angle Camera.

Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko Coma Detail

ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA

On April 30th, the comet’s coma extended over 1300 km from the nucleus. For the close up view on the right, a long sequence of images (each with a 10 minute exposure) was taken and stacked. The left panel shows the comet against the star field, covering the same area as figure 1.

Rosetta's Wide Angle View

ESA

This image of the Comet 67P/Churymov-Gerasimenko was taken with the OSIRIS Wide Angle Camera aboard Rosetta on March 20, 2014. It shows a wide field 25 times larger than the diameter of the full moon. [Read the Full Story Here]

Rosetta Wakes Up!

ESA - Jürgen Mai

Rosetta mission scientists cheer as the comet-chasing probe's first signal after awaking from a 2.5-year sleep is received at the European Space Agency's Space Operations Center in Darmstadt, Germany on Jan. 20, 2014. [Read the Full Story Here.]

Rosetta Spacecraft Wake-Up Signal

ESA - Jürgen Mai

The wake-up signal from the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft can be seen in this photo from ESA's Spacecraft Operations Center in Darmstadt, Germany on Jan. 20, 2014. Rosetta awoke from a 31-month slumber to prepare for its arrival at a comet later this year. [Read the Full Story Here.]

Rosetta's Wake Up Day: Project Scientist Matt Taylor

ESA/J.Mai

Rosetta Project Scientist Matt Taylor discusses the wake-up of the comet-chasing spacecraft (a model is seen in foreground) live on ESA TV at the agency's Space Operations Center in Darmstadt, Germany on Jan. 20, 2014. [Read the Full Story Here.]

Ready to Wake Up Rosetta: ESA Managers

ESA - Jürgen Mai

European Space Agency officials pose for a portrait while waiting to wake up the Rosetta comet probe from hibernation on Jan. 20, 2014 at the Space Operations Center in Darmstadt, Germany. From left to right: Alvaro Giménez, ESA Director of Science and Robotic Exploration, Thomas Reiter, ESA Director of Human Spaceflight and Operations, Jan-Dietrich Wörner from DLR and Chair of the ESA Council, and Paolo Ferri, Head of Mission Operations. [Read the Full Story Here.]

Rosetta and Philae at Comet

ESA/J. Huart

Artist’s impression of the Rosetta orbiter deploying the Philae lander to comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. After an extensive mapping phase by the orbiter in August–September 2014, a landing site will be selected for Philae to conduct in situ measurements in November 2014. Image released Dec. 19, 2013.

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