A few months ago, we got the first images from the European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission of the comet they’re tracking, but at the time, it was no more than an extra bright pixel. Well, now it’s several extra-bright pixels, so Rosetta made us a GIF!
It’s still tough to really see anything, but this is only the beginning. You can already easily make out the rotation of the comet’s nucleus as it tumbles through space, and you can make out its shape a little, although the portions that protrude may just be extra shiny parts that cause the light to bleed into surrounding pixels.
We’ll be able to see much better when Rosetta arrives at the comet on August 6th, and the ESA says it’ll be able to capture high definition images of the comet, up close and personal.
(Rosetta Blog via Universe Today, images via ESA)
- Rosetta previously sent back the first, far away images of her comet
- Play along with Rosetta with an interactive, 3D version of her journey
- Everyone was pretty excited when Rosetta woke from her slumber
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