The European Space Agency's Rosetta probe is approaching Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko for a historic mission to orbit and land on the comet's nucleus.
As Rosetta approaches the comet (now less than 10,000 km away), the form of the nucleus is coming into focus. And it is strange:
Some observers have noted the comet's resemblance to a rubber duck. The technical term is "contact binary."
One elongated object appears stuck to a smaller bulbous piece.
No one knows how the comet came to be this way. It could be the result of a slow-motion "sticky collision" between two objects, an odd-shaped fragment of a catastrophic impact, or something else entirely.
One thing is sure: This could present some interesting challenges for Philae, the probe's lander, which is slated to touch down on the comet's surface in early November.
Many questions will be answered by August 6th when Rosetta reaches 67P and goes into orbit.
Spaceweather
17 Jul 2014
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