Anuket vs. Anubis – CometWatch 31 January

February 10, 2015
This four-image mosaic comprises images taken from a distance of 28.0 km from the centre of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on 31 January. The image resolution is 2.4 m/pixel and the individual 1024 x 1024 frames measure 2.4 km across. The mosaic has been slightly cropped, and it measures 4.6 x 4.3 km.

The scene provides a stunning view of both the comet’s larger lobe (bottom) and smaller lobe (top right). There is an interesting contrast between the rough appearance of Anuket, the region that starts on the smaller lobe and descends along the side of the comet's neck, and the smoother material of the Anubis region, visible on the larger lobe in this view, beneath the crags of Seth as seen on the upper edge of the lobe.

A prominent jet and other outflows are also portrayed in the image. The overall activity of 67P/C-G is evident in the way that the silhouette of the nucleus stands out against the faint glow of the comet’s coma, especially in the darkest regions (bottom left and far right).

The large number of small white blobs and streaks in the image are likely specks of dust or other small objects in the vicinity of the comet.