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Messy Comet [1]

Gas and dust stream into space from the surface of Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko in this March 22 image from the Rosetta spacecraft, which is orbiting the comet. The comet is moving toward the Sun. As it is warmed by solar energy, some of its icy surface vaporizes and expands out into space, carrying particles of dust with it. This photo was snapped from a distance of about 47 miles (76 km) from the surface of the comet. It was enhanced to better show the material escaping from the comet. [ESA/Rosetta/NAVCAM]

Rosetta view of Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko on March 22, 2015
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Source URL:https://legacy.stardate.org/astro-guide/gallery/messy-comet

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[1] https://legacy.stardate.org/astro-guide/gallery/messy-comet [2] https://legacy.stardate.org/grade-level/grades-6-8-ages-11-13 [3] https://legacy.stardate.org/subject-areas/science