ESA via Getty Images(DARMSTADT, Germany) — The European Space Agency has released the first image taken from the surface of a comet.
The lander touched down on comet 67P/Churyumov Gerasimenko after traveling 4 billion miles through space on the Rosetta ship over a decade-long period.
ESA employees distributed an image showing the comet’s terrain Thursday.
“Now that I’m safely on the ground, here is what my new home #67P looks like from where I am,” a post on the Philae Lander’s Twitter account stated.
Now that I’m safely on the ground, here is what my new home #67P looks like from where I am. #CometLanding pic.twitter.com/gFmt8Ldvpa
— Philae Lander (@Philae2014) November 13, 2014
Philae and Rosetta will analyze the comet over the coming months, with scientists hopeful that the project will offer understanding of comets and other celestial objects — and answer questions about the origins of life on Earth.
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