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Astronomers find pure oxygen leaking from Rosetta's comet
European Space Agency astronomers, with the help of the Rosetta spacecraft, have made a remarkable discovery that could fundamentally alter our understanding of how the solar system formed. They have detected large amounts of pure oxygen (O2) leaking from comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Oxygen is a pretty common element, but because it reacts so easily with other elements it's almost always found in mixed molecules like carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2) or water (H2O).
Lovejoy is the galaxy's booziest comet
An international team of astronomers made a surprising discovery recently. They found that the Lovejoy comet is spewing a mixture of alcohol, sugar and 21 other organic compounds as it speeds through our galaxy. "Comet Lovejoy was releasing as much alcohol as in at least 500 bottles of wine every second during its peak activity," Nicolas Biver of the Paris Observatory, said in a press statement.
Philae delivered crucial comet data despite its bumpy landing
Philae had a bumpy landing on the 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko comet last November, but that didn't stop it from relaying some important data back to Earth. Papers published in the journal Science reveal how scientists, using the data collected by Philae's onboard instruments, have been able to identify the internal structure of the comet, its daily fluctuations in temperature and organic compounds that could help support life.
Philae comet lander goes silent once again
It looks like the Philae comet lander's moment in the sun was short-lived. Just weeks after getting back in touch, the European ground crew has once again lost contact with its celestial explorer -- the lander is sending irregular bursts of data, but that's about it. It's not clear as to what went wrong, but scientists suspect that comet gas or some other unexpected phenomenon moved Philae and blocked it from collecting that all-important, energy-giving sunlight. To make matters worse, one of its transmitters also appears to be out of commission.
Rosetta comet probe will continue its mission until September 2016
The Rosetta comet probe just got a new lease on life... if not a terribly long one. The European Space Agency has extended the space explorer's mission from its original December end to September 2016. That's only nine months, but it'll give scientists a shot at studying Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko close-up as it flies away from the Sun for some of that period. There's even a chance that Rosetta will get visual confirmation of where the Philae lander touched down, which hasn't been practical with the probe's relatively distant orbit.
Europe's Philae comet lander finally wakes up
After seven months of not-so-voluntary deep sleep, the comet lander Philae has finally woken up in earnest. The European Space Agency got in contact with its explorer for 85 precious seconds late on June 13th, receiving 300-plus data packets that shed light on what happened following the machine's bumpy touchdown. As it turns out, Philae came back to life at least temporarily during its forced hibernation -- it just couldn't get back in touch with its Rosetta host ship and thus the ground crew.
Comet lander offers fresh insights about planet formation
The Philae comet lander might be slumbering, but it can still teach you a thing or two about the nature of celestial bodies. European Space Agency researchers have compared Philae's data against the more distant Rosetta probe, and they've discovered that Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko isn't magnetized. If it's representative of other comets, that suggests that magnetic fields aren't nearly as important in planetary formation as scientists thought -- these clumps of dust are forming simply through collisions, and magnetism only factors in when there's enough material for gravity to take over. It could take a long while before there's stronger proof of that theory, but it's already clear that some previously-held beliefs about comets were off the mark.
Philae comet lander may wake up as early as this week
After a few months of slumber due to a lack of sunlight, the Philae comet lander might be close to waking up. It's receiving enough sun now that the Rosetta probe will attempt to resume contact between March 12th and 20th. If communication is successful, the next step will be to decide what research Philae can handle -- it'll conduct long-term studies if it has enough power to run during the comet's night cycle, but it might be limited to a handful of tests if it can only stay active in the daytime. There's no guarantee that the lander will answer (it's only in sunlight for an estimated 1.3 hours every comet day), but scientists vow to give it another try if they only get silence.
The Big Picture: Rosetta gets up close and personal with a comet
Thought the Rosetta probe's earlier comet snapshots were special? They don't have a patch on its latest photo session. The ESA spacecraft went on its first dedicated close flyby of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko this weekend, and the images it captured have revealed a whole new level of detail. The picture you see above was taken a mere 5.5 miles above the comet's surface, and shows how the landscape varies wildly over short distances. You'll see everything from relatively smooth plains to fractured hills in a span of just 0.8 miles -- unlike a planet, there's no significant gravity (or many other factors, for that matter) to shape the terrain. Be sure to savor this imagery while you can, by the way. Rosetta's next goal is to get a long-range shot from 158 miles out, so you won't be getting more close-ups any time soon. [Image credit: ESA/Rosetta/NAVCAM]
We're (eventually) doomed: passing stars may rain comets on Earth
There are many things in space that can bring life on Earth to an end, whether they're wayward asteroids or the eventual death of our Sun. However, the chances of a calamitous event may well go up if the calculations of Max Planck Institute scientist Coryn Bailer-Jones are on the mark. He estimates that two orange dwarf stars, GL 710 and Hip 86505, could start messing with comet orbits as they approach our solar system. If they get close enough, their gravitational pull would send a torrent of comets our way and greatly increase the likelihood of an Earth-shattering kaboom.
Rosetta data puts the origin of Earth's water in doubt
Scientists are pretty sure that Earth's water didn't originate on Earth itself, so where did it come from, exactly? Many believe the source is water-rich comets that bashed into our planet billions of years ago. However, new observations from the Rosetta spacecraft have weakened that theory. After it scanned the water vapor streaming from Comet 67P (above), ESA scientists found that there was three times more deuterium (heavy water) than found on Earth. That's significant, because of 11 comets measured to date, only one has the same water we do -- Comet 103P, a Jupiter-class (Kuiper Belt) comet analyzed by the ESA's Herschel telescope in 2011.
Rosetta's camera takes the first color image of its comet
If you thought the comet where Philae recently touched down (multiple times) was steel gray in color, we've got news for you -- it's actually a juicy red-brown. Despite the success of the orbiting Rosetta probe, it launched in 2004 so its camera doesn't have the latest tech. As a result, all images of the Manhattan-sized rock have been strictly gray-scale so far. But an upcoming research paper has revealed new images using the full spectrum of Rosetta's OSIRIS Narrow Angle Camera. The image appears blurry because each color slice was shot from a slightly different angle as Rosetta transited around the comet.
Sweet dreams, Philae: ESA's lander goes to sleep in the absence of sunlight
ESA's comet lander Philae has ran out of batteries and gone to sleep at 7:30PM on November 14th, 2014. It was supposed to harness solar energy to continue its operations, but it unfortunately bounced twice during touchdown and settled in the shade. That doesn't mean the project failed, though -- before the machine's power source ran out, the ground crew decided to throw caution to the wind and proceed with the more physical parts of material gathering. See, after landing in a less than ideal position, the team thought it best to just collect molecules from the comet's surface and perform the experiments (about 80 percent of the total number) that didn't require mechanical movement.
ESA's comet lander is stuck in the shadows (and it needs solar power)
When the Philae lander reached the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko after a decade in space, the ESA expected it to draw energy from the sun to power its scientific instruments. Unfortunately, it's now stuck in the worst place possible: in the shade, where it's exposed to the sun only three hours per day. According to the probe's lead scientist Jean-Pierre Bibring: "We are exactly below a cliff, so we are in a shadow permanently." In order for the lander to continue collecting samples and crunching data to beam back to Rosetta, it needs at least six to seven hours of daily sunlight. It's been sniffing and analyzing molecules from the comet's surface thus far, but once its main batteries run out on Saturday (they can only power the lander for 64 hours from the time it separated from Rosetta), it'll have to lay in hibernation unless its situation somehow improves.
Rosetta's Philae lander touches down on comet after 10-year quest (update: new image)
After Rosetta's 10-year journey -- capped off with the smooth 7-hour descent of its Philae lander -- an explosion of elation went up in the European Space Agency's mission control center in Darmstadt, Germany. At around 11:04AM Eastern Time, humanity has, for the first time in history, carefully coaxed an extension of itself onto the surface of a comet. The first few moments after landing turned tense as the ESA team worked to determine if everything worked, but Philae Lander Manager Stephan Ullamec broke the strained silence. "The harpoons have been fired and the landing gear has been moved inside. We're on the surface. Philae is talking to us, more data to come," he said. Spacecraft operations manager Andrea Accomazzo (whom the internet started calling "ESA Hoodie Guy") couldn't quite help himself. "We can't be happier than we are now," he yelped. Update: ESA just released the first image from Rosetta on the surface of the comet (above) with one of its three feet visible in the foreground. The full panorama will be available at 2PM ET.
Watch the European Space Agency's comet landing live
After being launched nearly 10 years ago, the ESA's Rosetta mission is about to reach a major milestone -- and you'll be able to watch as it all unfolds. Over the next few hours, NASA will be live-streaming the mission's attempt at putting its Philae lander on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (say that 10 times fast). The space agency revealed this event would be happening a couple months ago, as it looks to send the 67-pound lander to drill into the comet's surface, learn more about its composition and, subsequently, send that information back to earth. It's also going to be the first time ever any images are captured from the surface of a comet, so you probably shouldn't miss that. The ESA expects the landing to take place at around 11:02AM ET tomorrow (November 12th), which means you still have plenty of time to invite friends over for a viewing party, if you're into that sort of thing.
The Big Picture: Philae lander snaps a selfie as it passes by comet
The European Space Agency's (ESA) Philae lander has a knack for taking selfies. Last month, it passed by Comet 67P/C-G at a distance of 50 km (31 miles) attached to the ESA's Rosetta spacecraft. This time around, Philae got even closer before snapping the picture -- coming within 16 km (10 miles). In the image above, you'll notice one of Philae's 14-meter (46-foot) long solar arrays in a snapshot that combines two images with different exposures for a proper visual. An on-board CIVA (Comet Infrared and Visible Analyser) employs a collection of micro-cameras to capture panoramas used to study the surface. The Philae lander is set to depart Rosetta next month to get an even closer look when it'll land on the comet's surface for further research. [Photo credit: ESA/Rosetta/Philae/CIVA]
The Big Picture: Scientists pick a landing site for their historic comet probe
You're not just looking at an unassuming piece of rock -- if anything, it's a piece of history. That's Site J, the European Space Agency's long-awaited choice of landing spot for Philae, the first probe built to reach a comet's surface. Scientists chose the seemingly uneventful location because it should offer the best chances of studying the comet's nucleus and other material without worrying about impurities. It should also guarantee that Philae both stays in touch with its Rosetta mothership and maintains just enough power to get its job done. You'll likely have to wait until touchdown on November 11th to get a closer look, but this at least serves as a good preview. [Image credit: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA]
European Space Agency eyes potential landing sites for comet probe
Now that the Rosetta spacecraft is orbiting its target comet, the European Space Agency is finalizing the plans for the ship's Philae lander ahead of a historic touchdown on November 11th. The team has picked five potential landing sites that meet its requirements, all of which should keep Philae in contact with its mothership, minimize terrain hazards and offer just enough sunlight to maintain power. Don't expect a quick decision-making process after that, though. The ESA won't rank its candidates until around September 12th, after Rosetta has had time to double-check the sites, and there isn't going to be a firm commitment until October 12th. Mind you, it's easy to understand the agency's trepidation -- choosing the wrong landing spot could either limit the amount of potential research or destroy Philae outright. [Image credit: ESA/ATG medialab]
Watch the Rosetta spacecraft rendezvous with a comet starting at 4:00AM ET
After ten years in space and many complex maneuvers later, the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft is finally in position to rendezvous with the 2.5-mile diameter comet 67P. Starting at 4AM EST today (8AM GMT), ESA will broadcast a live webcast discussing the science and history of Rosetta. Around 5AM EST (9AM GMT) Rosetta will begin its close approach and start transmitting the first signals from the comet's orbit. Once in position, Rosetta will execute a final "close approach trajectory insertion," a six minute thruster burn that will bring it near enough to the comet to be captured by its gravity. Later in the year, a 62-pound lander called Philae will leave the mothership and lock itself down to the comet with harpoons. Using onboard instruments, it'll examine its composition and relay the information to earth. In November, Rosetta will tag along with the comet as does a close orbit around the sun, examining how it changes when heated. Meanwhile, enjoy the show (below) as it approaches the giant rock.
