Comets

Part of the comet's smaller lobe from about 8 km above the surface

Rosetta’s Comet Close-Ups Reveal Goosebumps And Very Little Ice

Rosetta is watching for changes as the double-lobed comet approaches the sun

Ten years ago this week, the Huygens probe gave scientists a first look at the icy surface beneath the haze of Saturn's moon Titan.

Best Space Photos of the Week: From Solar Flares to Saturn's Moons

A spitting sun, a well-loved lake and a happy accident on Mars star in this week's best space images

A composite image made in Payson, Arizona, on December 28 shows Comet Lovejoy as it seemed to pass a globular cluster of stars called Messier 79.

How to See This Green Comet With the Naked Eye

The "New Year's Comet" is taking astronomers by storm with an unexpected showing, and it should only get brighter through early January

An artist's interpretation of the Philae lander separating from Rosetta and landing on the comet.

The Philae Spacecraft Confirmed the Presence of Organic Molecules on the Comet it Landed On

Researchers hope the finding sheds light on how organic molecules might have first arrived on Earth

Philae's ancestor, the original Apollo lunar lander.

We Fall in Love With Space Robots Because They Act Like Animals

Like pets, wires and chips can appear to act with intention

One of the Philae Lander's feet is visible in this snapshot from the comet's surface.

Philae Is Now Asleep

The lander’s solar panels aren’t getting enough light and the batteries will die, but we already have some fantastic images and data

Rosetta’s OSIRIS narrow-angle camera captured this parting shot of the Philae lander after separation and before touchdown.

Comet 67P Has a Welcome Song for Rosetta And Philae

A successful touchdown after the comet chase is just the herald of more discoveries to come, including the cause of the comet's strange song

Tomorrow, a Man-made Spacecraft Will Land On a Comet for the First Time, Ever

The action starts bright and early

An artist's impression shows exocomets orbiting the star Beta Pictoris

A Swarm of Comets Around an Alien Star Hints at Our Solar System's Youth

The comets fall in two groups — one older and one younger — and have to contend with the orbit of a gas giant

The primary landing site of Rosetta's Philae lander on Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko is marked with a cross.

This Is Where Rosetta's Lander Will Touch Down

The Philae lander will touch down at "Site J" In November

Getting Ready for Rosetta to Unlock a Comet’s Secrets

The lander will hopefully reveal new truths about what the icy objects actually are

A close up of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko taken from just 80 miles up.

Rosetta Satellite Is the First to Ever Orbit a Comet

It's been a long trip, but Rosetta has finally reached its destination

The comet Cheryumov-Gerasimenko seems to be shaped like a rubber duckie

The ESA is on a Mission to Harpoon a Duck-Shaped Comet

As if catching a comet wasn't already hard enough

The C/2011 N3 comet is caught on a coronagraph, an image that blocks out the sun to reveal its corona.

A Comet’s Death Caught on Camera

Comets dive into the sun frequently, but previous ones had been too small and dim to be seen against the glaring backdrop

The surface of Wild 2 is pockmarked with craters.

Clues from a Comet

The first mission to collect space matter from beyond the moon offers insights into the solar system's creation

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