 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 by Staff Writers Gottingen, Germany (SPX) Apr 18, 2019
Between 2014 and 2016, the scientific camera system OSIRIS onboard ESA's Rosetta spacecraft captured almost 70,000 images of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. They not only document the most extensive and demanding comet mission to date, but also show the duck-shaped body in all its facets. In a joint project with the Department of Information and Communication at Flensburg University of Applied Sciences, the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS), head of the OSIRIS team, has now published all of these images. The OSIRIS Image Viewer (https://rosetta-osiris.eu) is suited to the needs of both laymen and expert and offers quick and easy access to one of the greatest scientific treasures of recent years. The first view of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko was captured by the OSIRIS camera system in March 2014 from a distance of almost five million kilometres: an unspectacular starry sky in which only experts can identify one of the numerous bright spots as the target of the Rosetta mission. The mission's last snapshot was taken on 30 September 2016, just a few minutes before the spacecraft touched down on the comet. Only 20 meters separate the stony surface visible in it from the spacecraft. Between these two images lies an adventure: a space mission that for the first time accompanied a comet on its way through the inner solar system and observed it from close up. This adventure can now be retraced in detail with the help of the OSIRIS Image Viewer. Browsing through the archive, users will find snapshots taken while Rosetta was still approaching the already awakening comet, images obtained from Philae's landing, the fireworks of dust and gas emissions during the comet's perihelion passage, and pictures documenting the feverish search for Philae's landing site during the mission's final weeks. The images show rugged cliffs, bizarre cracks and gorges, powdery-smooth plains and boulder-covered fields as well as spectacular jets of dust and gas in the vicinity of the comet's nucleus. "It is important to us that this treasure trove of data is easily accessible to everyone. No prior knowledge is necessary," explains MPS scientist Dr. Holger Sierks, OSIRIS Principal Investigator. In close cooperation with students and lecturers from the Department of Information and Communication at the University of Applied Sciences Flensburg, the MPS scientists have designed the viewer in such a way that all images and additional information can be found quickly. Each of the almost 70,000 images is supplemented with the date on which it was taken, the distance to the comet, and a short accompanying text and can be downloaded in full resolution. For users who wish to delve deeper or use the archive for scientific purposes, the images are also available in scientific data format; in addition, there is information available on the filters used, focal lengths, and exposure times as well as references to the scientific documentation and evaluation software. Since June 2018, also the ESA Archive Image Browser and ESA's Planetary Science Archive have been providing all images and data from the Rosetta mission online. "ESA's databases are primarily aimed at scientists," Sierks says. "We see the OSIRIS Image Viewer as a supplement to these services. It is designed to be easily accessible and appealing for everyone - and above all show the comet in all its beauty," he adds.
Tiny fragment of a comet found inside a meteorite Tempe AZ (SPX) Apr 16, 2019 A tiny piece of the building blocks from which comets formed has been discovered inside a primitive meteorite. The discovery by a Carnegie Institution of Science-led team, including a researcher now at Arizona State University, was published April 15 in Nature Astronomy. The finding could offer clues to the formation, structure, and evolution of the solar system. "The meteorite is named LaPaz Icefield 02342," says research scientist Jemma Davidson of ASU's Center for Meteorite Studies in the ... read more
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Google
