ROSETTA TAKES 'SELFIE' AHEAD OF LANDING SITE SELECTION (STA BREAKING NEWS and ARCHIVES)

by STANews , Thursday, September 11, 2014, 21:53

The Rosetta spacecraft has sent a hauntingly beautiful picture of itself from deep space.

It was taken with the CIVA camera situated on Rosetta's landing craft known as Philae.

The image was taken on 7 September from a distance of about 50km from the comet seen at the top of the picture.

It shows the edge of the spacecraft and one of its 14m-long solar wings glistening in sunlight against the blackness of space.

Faint details of the spacecraft's protective blanket, the ridges of one of the solar wing's supports can be seen clearly as can the wiring and hinges on the wing itself.

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http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29044139