Key moments in Rosetta’s first year at Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko.
We can hardly believe we are approaching the end of yet another incredible year for the Rosetta mission, which has now spent nearly 500 days “living” with Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
From dramatic close flybys to the peak of comet activity during the months around perihelion, 2015 has seen the Rosetta mission shine with scientific discovery. A slew of fascinating results have been published from both the Rosetta orbiter and the Philae lander teams in the last year, which have certainly triggered some intense discussion in the comments section on this blog!
As we did last year, we are planning to take a short break, between close of business on 18 December 2015 and 4 January 2016. During this time we don’t foresee any routine updates (aside from images that might be released via the new “OSIRIS image of the day” website), but we will of course inform you as soon as possible if something extraordinary happens.
Single-frame OSIRIS narrow-angle camera image taken on 12 December 2015, when Rosetta was 104.4 km from the nucleus of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. Credits: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA
Due to the time required to review comments, the commenting function will be disabled on all posts and pages over this period – existing comments will remain, but no new comments can be submitted and added during the break. Furthermore, when we return in the New Year, the comment function will only be possible on subsequent new posts. We therefore kindly encourage you to wrap up existing conversations during this week.
It’s been a pleasure sharing the latest news with you this year and we’re delighted that so many of you are continuing to enjoy following the blog and being part of the Rosetta adventure with us here. Many thanks to our regular contributors and occasional visitors alike – we look forward to welcoming you back in the New Year when we’ll be getting ready for the mission’s greatest challenge yet: putting Rosetta on the comet in September 2016.
But for the rest of this week at least, it’s business as usual!
Discussion: 7 comments
Hi Emily,
I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels the interruption of conversation, as this blog is the only place I can discuss things with the likes of Gerald, Harvey, Logan, THOMAS and so forth.
I can suggest if anybody wants to keep any conversations going regarding Rosetta, they are welcome to my site
http://livingcomet.blogspot.com.au/,
Or alternately, I am happy for other suggestions of perhaps more neutral sites.
Have a rest, Marco 🙂 Land on your former Cosmological Object. Have a coffee. See the snow, or the sand. Hear the water flowing trough the boulders, at a riverside. Hear the people, on the same spirit…
Been a great year. Thanks to both the Rosetta Team and the Blog Team, and have a wonderful Holiday season.
–Bill
The beautiful ‘woody shoe’, ‘jewel’, ‘sandwich’, ‘broken shell’ perspectives. The multiple personality of Ducky. Plus pivotal moments. Lovely selection, Emily 🙂
Lakdawalla is linking another striking view of ‘woody shoe’ perspective:
https://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2015/12161908-worth-the-wait-first-public.html
Daniel Macháček ‘Blend’ Master 🙂
A well-deserved break for you and your team.
Thanks for the up-to-date information, and your patient moderation of the comment section.
Best wishes, and see you next year.