Astronomy picture of the day 13-11-2014 - Descent to a Comet

Descent to a Comet
Image Credit: ESA/Rosetta/Philae/ROLIS

Explanation: Yesterday, thefirst soft landing on a comet took place some 500 million kilometers from planet Earth as theRosetta missionlander Philae settled on the nucleus ofC67/P Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The landing site, dubbed Agilkia, is located near the center ofthis remarkable imagesnapped by Philae's ROLIS (ROsetta Lander Imaging System) camera. Taken from a distance of about 3 kilometers the image has a resolution of about 3 meters per pixel at the surface.After Philae's release from the orbiter, its seven-hour longdescent was madewithout propulsion or guidance. Following its descent the lander is in place, though its anchoring harpoon system did not fire. For 2.5 days the lander is intended to conduct its mainscience mission returning extensive images and data. An extended surface mission may be possible if sunlight and dust conditions allow solar panels to recharge Philae's battery.