On February 14, 2015, the Rosetta spacecraft made a close flyby of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The spacecraft not only passed closer to a comet than any spacecraft had before, but it also became part of a unique space geometry. For a short time during the maneuver – as the spacecraft swept in closest to 67P – the sun, the spacecraft and the comet were almost perfectly aligned. Thus – although the resulting images are of high scientific value – they don’t appear as dramatic as some earlier Rosetta images of the comet, because few shadows can be seen. But there is one exception: as a side-effect of this exceptional geometry, we can see Rosetta’s shadow on the surface of the comet, surrounded by a bright halo-like region.
The images were acquired by OSIRIS, the scientific imaging system on board the Rosetta spacecraft. They have a resolution of 11 centimeters per pixel.
Bottom line: The Rosetta spacecrft caught its own shadow encircled in a wreath of light, on the icy surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, on February 14, 2015.
Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.
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