ISRO releases picture
of comet taken by Mars Orbiter
CHENNAI: On a day when
European Space Agency (ESA) is attempting to place a robot Philae on Comet
67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, ISRO today released images of Comet Siding Spring,
taken by its Mars Orbiter last month.
ISRO's Mars Orbiter
had the opportunity to witness the Comet Siding Spring approach Mars on October
19, for which the spacecraft repositioned itself for its safety. After the
comet passed by, @MarsOrbiter tweeted, "Phew! Experience of a lifetime.
Watched the MarsComet SidingSpring whizzing past the planet. I'm in my orbit,
safe and sound."
The Mars Colour Camera
on board ISRO's Mars Orbiter has captured the Coma (top bright portion) of the
comet partly, as it approached MOM during last 40 minutes of the imaging session
before Mars-Comet close encounter, ISRO said in its social networking site
along with the pictures.
"Sequence of MCC
images show the Coma move closure to MOM from 1.8 lakh to 1.3 lakh km between
17.44 to 18.25 UT on October 19," it said.
Commenting on a streak
radiating out of the comet's nucleus, it said that jets usually represent
out-gassing activity from vents of the comet-nucleus, releasing dust and ice
crystals. "The outgassing activity gradually increases as the comet moves
closure to the Sun," it said.
As on 3 PM IST, ESA's
Rosetta - and her companion spacecraft - Philae - have parted ways, ahead of a
historic landing on the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on
Wednesday, according to ESA. Philae is heading for a landing site named
Agilkia, it said.
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