Rosetta maps comet's 'continents' as colourful graphic reveals different terrains

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Map created by scientists in Darmstadt with data sent back from probe
It will help researchers choose an area to drop lander in November
The mission control team will monitor the surface looking for changes
Target zones for a landing on comet will be unveiled on 15 September

Published: 08:51 EST, 10 September 2014 | Updated: 09:21 EST, 10 September 2014

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Rosetta’s comet is a unique, multi-faceted world that features huge cliffs, plunging craters and house-sized boulders.

Now a colourful map revealing its stunning landscape has been created by mission scientists in Darmstadt following data sent back from the probe.

The map is expected to help researchers pick a suitable place to drop a lander in November – the first time a landing on a comet has ever been attempted.

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Several different surface regions are shown in this map, which is oriented with the comet's 'body' in the foreground and the 'head' in the background. The map is expected to help researchers pick a suitable place to drop a lander in November - the first time a landing on a comet has ever been attempted

The map shows 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko’s ‘continents’ based on the variations on the comet’s surface.

Various areas are dominated by cliffs, depressions, craters, boulders and even parallel grooves, with some regions still being shaped by the comet’s activity.

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As both 67P and Rosetta travel closer to the sun over the next months, the mission control team will monitor the surface looking for changes.

While the scientists don’t expect the borderlines of the comet’s regions to vary dramatically, more subtle transformations could help explain more about how comets form.

Jagged cliffs and prominent boulders are visible in this image taken by on 5 September 2014 from a distance of 39 miles (62km) from comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The left part of the image shows a side view of the comet's 'body', while the right is the back of its 'head'. One pixel corresponds to 3.6ft (1.1 metres)

Next weekend, on 13 and 14 September, the maps will play a key role as Rosetta’s Lander Team and the Rosetta orbiter scientists to decide where they will park the Philae lander.

An announcement on their decision will be made on 15 September.

Once Philae leaves Rosetta to head for 67P/C-G, there will be no chance to alter its path. It will take between five and eight hours to reach the comet’s surface and be pulled in by its weak gravity.

Earlier this week, Rosetta has uncovered some surprising features about comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

Instead of imaging a bright, ice-covered comet, the probe’s instruments have detected that 67P is in fact darker than charcoal in some wavelengths of light.

And scientists working on Rosetta’s Alice instrument have so far failed to find any large patches of water-ice on 67P’s surface.

An artist's impression of the Rosetta orbiter at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Instead of imaging a bright, ice-covered comet, the probe’s instruments have detected that 67P is in fact darker than charcoal

Animation shows how the Rosetta spacecraft takes images

TEMPERATURE OF COMET 67P

Rosetta has measured the temperature of the comet and determined that its average surface temperature is about -70°C (-94°F).

Although it may seem cold, that is actually 20 to 30°C (36 to 54°F) warmer than predicted for a comet at that distance, suggesting its surface will be quite dusty in addition to being icy.

'This result is very interesting, since it gives us the first clues on the composition and physical properties of the comet’s surface,' says Virtis principal investigator Fabrizio Capaccioni from Rome, Italy.

This suggests that much of the surface must be dusty, because darker material heats up and emits heat more readily than ice.

‘We're a bit surprised at just how unreflective the comet's surface is and how little evidence of exposed water-ice it shows,’ said Alan Stern, Alice principal investigator at the Southwest Research Institute in Colorado.

Scientists had previously believed the comet’s surface would contain ice because it was too far away for the sun’s warmth to melt it.

The lack of ice could suggest that the comet had been in close with our sun, or a different star, at some point during its journey in deep space.

They also found that the 'coma' - or atmosphere - around the comet contains of hydrogen and oxygen.

This is surprising as comas are generally thought to be composed of water vapour and dust.

Described as ‘the sexiest, most fantastic mission ever’, Rosetta will spend more than a year analysing the comet to help uncover the secrets to life on Earth.

The comet itself is about 2.5 miles (4km) long and orbits the sun every six-and-a-half years.

It is heading towards the sun, so as it nears the star it will begin to melt more.

For a sense of scale, the comet is about three times the size of Ben Nevis and Rosetta is the size of a car with 105ft (32 metre) wings.

Zoom in on the image below to find out where Rosetta is at the moment

Five sites were identified on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko during the Landing Site Selection Group meeting held 23–24 August. The approximate locations of the five regions are marked on these OSIRIS narrow-angle camera images taken on 16 August from a distance of about 62 miles (100km)