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Even in colour, Comet 67P is grey | Even in colour, Comet 67P is grey |
(2 days later) | |
The first colour image from the Rosetta spacecraft shows that Comet 67P is even more dark and monochrome than expected. | The first colour image from the Rosetta spacecraft shows that Comet 67P is even more dark and monochrome than expected. |
Despite being carefully assembled from three images taken with red, green and blue filters, the shot still looks effectively black and white. | |
It comes from the Osiris camera, which is on board the orbiting craft that last month made history by dropping a lander onto the comet's surface. | It comes from the Osiris camera, which is on board the orbiting craft that last month made history by dropping a lander onto the comet's surface. |
The Osiris team says 67P is "as black as coal" and surprisingly uniform. | The Osiris team says 67P is "as black as coal" and surprisingly uniform. |
The image was released by the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, which leads the consortium behind the camera. | The image was released by the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, which leads the consortium behind the camera. |
"We like to refer to Osiris as the eyes of Rosetta," said the instrument's principal investigator Dr Holger Sierks. | "We like to refer to Osiris as the eyes of Rosetta," said the instrument's principal investigator Dr Holger Sierks. |
But the camera is unlike human eyes, and so the colour image had to be produced by combining three separate shots. | But the camera is unlike human eyes, and so the colour image had to be produced by combining three separate shots. |
This was no easy task. Rosetta is constantly moving and the comet beneath is spinning, so various changes in angle had to be accounted for. | This was no easy task. Rosetta is constantly moving and the comet beneath is spinning, so various changes in angle had to be accounted for. |
The result is an image that looks remarkably similar to previous, greyscale views of 67P. | The result is an image that looks remarkably similar to previous, greyscale views of 67P. |
"As it turns out, 67P looks dark grey, in reality almost as black as coal," Dr Sierks said. | "As it turns out, 67P looks dark grey, in reality almost as black as coal," Dr Sierks said. |
By the time the image is brightened enough for us to see the comet's features, it looks much lighter grey - but not what anyone would call colourful. | By the time the image is brightened enough for us to see the comet's features, it looks much lighter grey - but not what anyone would call colourful. |
Using observations from the ground, scientists had already observed that Comet 67P, like many other small bodies in our Solar System, appeared to be grey "on average". | Using observations from the ground, scientists had already observed that Comet 67P, like many other small bodies in our Solar System, appeared to be grey "on average". |
But the new results reveal that it seems to be this dark, coal colour all over - with little variation. | But the new results reveal that it seems to be this dark, coal colour all over - with little variation. |
That suggests that its surface composition is fairly uniform and shows no sign of ice patches, which would appear bluish. | That suggests that its surface composition is fairly uniform and shows no sign of ice patches, which would appear bluish. |
The comet's ice is presumably hidden below its dusty, boulder-strewn surface. | The comet's ice is presumably hidden below its dusty, boulder-strewn surface. |
Follow Jonathan on Twitter | Follow Jonathan on Twitter |
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