Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, often abbreviated as 67P, is a comet discovered by Soviet astronomers Klim Churyumov and Svetlana Gerasimenko in 1969 at the Kiev University Observatory in Ukraine. This comet orbits the Sun once every 6.45 years and belongs to the Jupiter-family comets.
Discovery and Naming
- Discovery: The comet was first observed on photographic plates taken on September 20, 1969, by Gerasimenko, who was working at the Kiev University Observatory. Churyumov later identified the comet from these plates as a new object.
- Naming: Following the tradition of naming comets after their discoverers, it was named Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
Physical Characteristics
- Size and Shape: 67P has an unusual "rubber-duck" shape, consisting of two distinct lobes connected by a narrow neck. The entire comet measures approximately 4.3 km × 4.1 km × 1.3 km in size.
- Surface: The comet's surface is diverse, with cliffs, pits, boulders, and dust. There are also signs of erosion and activity, including jets of gas and dust.
- Composition: The surface is primarily composed of water ice, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, ammonia, and other volatiles, along with dust and rock. Spectroscopic analysis has identified several organic compounds.
Notable Missions
- Rosetta Mission:
- The European Space Agency's Rosetta mission was the first to orbit a comet and perform a detailed study of it. Launched in 2004, Rosetta arrived at 67P in August 2014.
- Philae Lander: On November 12, 2014, the Philae lander became the first spacecraft to land on a comet. Unfortunately, due to a harpoon system failure, Philae bounced several times before settling into a shadowy region, limiting its operational time.
- Scientific Findings: The mission provided unprecedented data on the comet's nucleus, its gas and dust coma, and its interaction with solar wind, among other phenomena.
Orbital Dynamics
- Orbit: 67P has a highly elliptical orbit that takes it from the outer reaches of the Solar System to within the orbit of Mars at its closest approach to the Sun.
- Perihelion: Its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) occurs approximately every 6.45 years, with the last perihelion passage in August 2015.
- Orbital Perturbations: The comet's orbit is influenced by Jupiter, which can alter its trajectory, potentially leading to either a closer or more distant orbit with each pass.
Scientific Significance
- Understanding Cometary Bodies: Observations and samples from 67P have helped scientists understand the composition and behavior of comets, which are thought to be remnants from the early Solar System.
- Water and Life: The study of 67P has implications for the origin of water on Earth and the potential for life-bearing compounds in comets.
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