Rosetta photos: Comet's material becoming more volatile as it nears sun

DARMSTADT, Germany, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- As the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko nears the sun, its jets are heating up -- spewing noxious gases and water vapor into space as it speeds along at roughly 84,000 mph.

The sun's energy is slowly heating up the insides of Churyumov-Gerasimenko, allowing gases trapped in its icy core to be released and escape to the surface. The streaming jets of gas give off a slight sheen, an optical feature that is especially striking when it's enhanced by the Rosetta probe's imaging instruments.

Rosetta's NavCam images, newly released by the European Space Agency, reveal the comet's jets from a variety of angles. The exodus of vapors will continue to grow more intense as the comet's path moves closer to the sun.

Officials at ESA are hopeful that in addition to melting more of the comet's insides, the uptick in solar radiation will bring Rosetta's lander Philae back to life. The mini rover made history last year when it touched down on the comet, but its mission was short-lived when it found its way into the shadow of crater wall and wasn't able to use its solar panels to recharge. The lander is still missing and unresponsive.

Rosetta is planning to initiate a closer orbit of the comet this weekend. Flying within four miles of Churyumov-Gerasimenko will allow Rosetta's instruments to observe the comet's gas jets with great intimacy. Scientists are particularly interested in how these jets help facilitate and interact with the comet's coma, the halo of water and dust that envelopes the flying ball of ice and rock.

"The upcoming close flyby will allow unique scientific observations, providing us with high-resolution measurements of the surface over a range of wavelengths and giving us the opportunity to sample -- taste or sniff -- the very innermost parts of the comet's atmosphere," Rosetta project scientist Matt Taylor explained in a press release.