Alpha Centauri 2

Community => Recreation Commons => Destination: Alpha Centauri => Topic started by: Buster's Uncle on February 03, 2015, 02:17:23 pm

Title: Rosetta Probe Discovers Water On Comet Churymov-Gerasimenko 67P
Post by: Buster's Uncle on February 03, 2015, 02:17:23 pm

Rosetta Probe Discovers Water On Comet Churymov-Gerasimenko 67P
Business 2 Community
James Kosur  ‎February‎ ‎02‎, ‎2015


(https://s.yimg.com/lo/api/res/1.2/K0uxo.NWsGiv.bx.nl4.vA--/YXBwaWQ9bWFnYXppbmVzO3c9NTAw/https://s.yimg.com/os/en_us/sbs/sbc/Business2Community/Rosetta-Probe-Discovers-Water-on-Comet.jpg)



The Rosetta Probe has discovered a frozen body of water on comet Churymov-Gerasimenko 67P. The probe has surveyed nearly 70 percent of the comet and stumbled upon the frozen water during routine operations.

Before it went into hibernation mode, the Philae lander gathered 57 hours worth of data. The Rosetta probe has been circling the comet since that time, attempting to make contact with the lander. Instead, researchers discovered a body of water.

“What we are looking for is a Mickey Mouse-like pattern, because that’s what its feet look like, with three little circles,” said Dennis Bodewits, a research scientist at the University of Maryland. “We have found about five or six of them now, but they can be everywhere.”

Researchers are now hoping that the Philae lander will power back up between early March and mid-May. At that time the lander will be closer to the sun and is expected to receive enough sunlight to its solar panels to resume operations. The lander is capable of conducting more than 20 scientific measurements. The lander can “sniff” for gases, collect dust samples, and much more.

Over the last two and a half months the European Space Agency in partnership with various other institutions, has been able to publish a seven article series with all of the data they have collected.

In their studies the group says they found the comet to be surrounded by a cloud composed from several gases and the double-lobed body is coated with molecules of frozen water.

The water molecules on 67P are somewhat different than the water on planet Earth, as they contain deuterium — the result of an extra neutron added to hydrogen.  Despite that change, the water remains drinkable.

Hopefully researchers will be able to collect even more data when the Philae lander receives the sunlight it needs to power back up and continue on with its mission.


https://www.yahoo.com/tech/s/rosetta-probe-discovers-water-comet-churymov-gerasimenko-67p-045308532.html (https://www.yahoo.com/tech/s/rosetta-probe-discovers-water-comet-churymov-gerasimenko-67p-045308532.html)