Bruce Murray Space Image Library

Geography and sunlight on comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Geography and sunlight on comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Geography and sunlight on comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko A shape model for Rosetta's comet as of August 6, 2014. The colorful model on the left shows how much illumination the comet surface receives over the course of its day (red is brighter, blue is darker). On the right, a coordinate system has been superimposed. Lines of longitude converge at the north spin pole. The 180-degree longitude line runs through the narrow end of the comet. Here is a version that spins more slowly. ESA / Rosetta / DLR / MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS / UPD / LAM / IAA / SSO / INTA / UPM / DASP / IDA