Free Astronomy Magazine November-December 2016

SMALL BODIES 43 After more than two years of intensive and close-up investigation of 67P/Chu- ryumov-Gerasimenko, the Rosetta probe reunited again with its Philae lander on the smaller lobe of the comet. The scientific mate- rial produced by the mis- sion is unprecedented and sheds new light not only on the formation and evolu- tion of comets, but on the entire solar system, mark- ing a great success for the European Space Agency. O n last 30 September, at 11:19 GMT, a controlled descent on the surface of Comet 67P/Churyu- mov-Gerasimenko ended the glorious ESA’s Rosetta space mission. The ad- venturous journey of the probe which started in March 12 years ago, had taken it to swing-by two planets and two asteroids be- fore bringing it slowly close to the comet around which it would have orbited for over 2 years. Rosetta mission on: ding NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 T he Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gera- simenko photographed by Ro- setta during its final descent, from a distance of about 15.5 km. [ESA/Ro- setta/MPS for OSIRIS TeamMPS/UPD/ LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA]