Rosetta data give closest-ever look at a comet
Thursday, January 22, 2015 - 14:00
in Astronomy & Space
On Nov. 12, 2014, the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission made history when its Philae lander touched down on the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. While this exciting technical achievement gained lots of headlines, it was only the beginning for researchers back on Earth who are receiving and analyzing comet data. The latest chapter in the story provides the closest and most detailed look at a comet that scientists have ever seen. The results—including four papers co-authored by University of Maryland scientists—appear in a special issue of the journal Science, published on Jan. 23, 2015.