• Health
  • Science
  • U.S.
  • Technology
  • Business
  • World
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Sports

Building a Better World

News and information

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Our Team

Rosetta reports “dramatic changes” to comet 67P’s dark side

October 7, 2015 By Sam Catherman

Rosetta reports “dramatic changes” to comet 67P’s dark side

The European Space Agency's Rosetta probe has made its first foray on to the dark side of Comet 67P, revealing significant changes from the sunny northern hemisphere.

The European Space Agency’s Rosetta space probe has been orbiting comet 67P for quite some time, sending valuable information about the strangely shaped body back to Earth on a constant basis. According to a report from Astronomy.com, astronomers have finally gotten up close and personal with a part of the comet they have never witnessed before: the dark side.

Rosetta reached a particular point in its seasonal orbit of the comet that has allowed it to see the hemisphere shaded from the sun, revealing mysterious surface topography and a whole new set of areas on the comet to study. The probe orbits the comet once every 6.5 years.

The northern hemisphere of the comet faces the sun for over 5.5 years, resulting in a seriously long summer season. The southern hemisphere experiences winter at the same time, remaining in the dark and cold shadows. As the comet approaches perihelion, the point in its orbit when it is closest to the sun, the southern hemisphere becomes soaked in sunlight for a brief yet warm summer season.

The comet’s northern hemisphere was still in its summer season when Rosetta arrived in August of 2014. For multiple months, the only information Rosetta could gather about the southern hemisphere of comet 67P was by using its Microwave Instrument for Rosetta Orbiter, or MIRO.

As researchers began to look at the comet’s southern hemisphere, they noticed a wide range of changes from the northern hemisphere. The thermal and electrical properties are opposite of those on the sun-drenched northern hemisphere, and the surface material appears to be composed of water and carbon dioxide ice.

Sharing

Facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Filed Under: Front Page, Science

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow Us

Facebookrss

Search:

Recent Posts

  • NASA’s InSight spacecraft makes important course correction May 26, 2018
  • Scientists outraged at latest Trump decision May 15, 2018
  • Huge uproar erupts over major incident at Utah park May 13, 2018
  • Incredible moon discovery stuns scientists May 12, 2018
  • Authorities shocked by discovery about common painkiller May 6, 2018
  • Outrageous crocodile experiment stuns scientists May 5, 2018
  • Great Barrier Reef is too quiet, scientists say May 1, 2018
  • Massive Hiroshima bomb discovery shocks scientists May 1, 2018
  • Earth will be slammed by massive asteroid April 29, 2018
  • Teens are doing something incredibly alarming in schools April 29, 2018
  • Huge discovery in Tasmania stuns scientists April 28, 2018
  • Shocking discovery in New Jersey stuns authorities April 22, 2018
  • Huge volcanic explosion could wipe out the United States April 21, 2018
  • Huge controversy erupts over world’s hottest pepper April 15, 2018
  • SpaceX is about to do something astonishing April 15, 2018

Copyright © 2021 Jones Kilmartin Group, LLC · Metro Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress