CometWatch – 21 January

January 29, 2015
Today’s CometWatch mosaic comprises images taken by Rosetta’s navigation camera (NAVCAM) on 21 January, from a distance of 27.9 km from the centre of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The image resolution is 2.4 m/pixel and the individual 1024 x 1024 frames measure 2.4 km across. The mosaic is slightly cropped and measures 4.2 x 4 km.

In this orientation we see the small comet lobe in the foreground and the large lobe in the background, with the overall view giving the appearance that the duck-shaped comet is lying down on its side. The small lobe presents the Baset (right) and Ma’at (left) regions, while the body includes Khepry (the seemingly flat edge at the far right), and the dust-dominated Babi and Ash regions. (Click here for a useful region map.)

Looking particularly dramatic in this view is the raised plateau close to the far horizon, just right of centre. Zooming in to its edge reveals crevice-like features that appear similar to those identified in the Seth region as precursors to collapse. Don't miss the bright emission that is contrasted against the shadowed wall of this feature, too!

You might also like to ramp up the contrast to bring the Seth region out of the shadows.