This is an image of the core of Comet 67P, the main target of the European Rosetta spacecraft. The image shows that the comet’s core is probably split into two parts, or consisting of two objects in contact. It was acquired by the Rosetta spacecraft, which is currently approaching amazing 67P.
Credits: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA

On 14 July 2014, the European spacecraft Rosetta, which is currently approaching a comet technically known as 67P, took images of its target, suggesting that this comet may consist of two distinct parts or two objects in contact. One segment seems to be of an elongated shape, while the other is more round. Rosetta was at a distance of approximately 12,000 km from 67P.

Comet 67P orbits the Sun in an elliptical orbit, every 6.45 years. Its distance from the Sun varies between about and 186 million km and 850 million km (for comparison, the average distance between Earth and the Sun is 149.6 million km).
Comets are small icy objects orbiting the Sun. They are believed to be primitive objects that have originated far away from the Sun, and still retain their initial chemical composition. Therefore, it is thought that comets hold records of the physical and chemical processes that occurred during the early solar system. By studying comets, scientists hope to gain a better understanding of the birth and evolution of Earth and its planetary cousins.

Rosetta is an unmanned spacecraft built and launched by the European Space Agency (ESA), to conduct a detailed study of comet 67P. It launched to space in March 2004, and is expected to reach 67P in August 2014. Interestingly, Rosetta is accompanied by a smaller probe, the Philae lander, which will land on the surface of 67P, shortly after arriving at the comet, to analyze its composition. Rosetta will orbit 67P for 17 months.

 

 

Artist concept of the Rosetta spacecraft and lander Philae separating above Comet 67P
Credit: ESA/ATG medialab
Rosetta has already flown successfully by two asteroids during its spectacular flight to 67P.

The comet-orbiting spacecraft is named after the Rosetta Stone, a rock slab inscribed with ancient Egyptian texts, which allowed to interpret the Egyptian hieroglyphs. The lander is named after Philae Island in the Nile near Aswan, Egypt, where an ancient Egyptian text was discovered. That text was used along with the Rosetta Stone in deciphering the Egyptian texts.

References
The European Space Agency
Wikipedia

Aymen Mohamed Ibrahem
Senior Astronomy Specialist