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This isn't a sci-fi movie: It's a human-made probe snapping a comet selfie

Rosetta now just 10 MILES from comet 67P/C-G

Pic The European Space Agency’s Rosetta comet-hunter craft has sent back its last selfie, taken from just 10 miles – 16 kilometres – from Comet 67P/C-G.

The selfie was snapped by Philae, the lander that will descend to the comet on November 12. The lander used its CIVA instruments to take the snap. The CIVA-P part of the instrument "comprises seven micro-cameras arranged around the top of the lander to take panorama images". CIVA-M "is a visible/infrared microscope imager/spectrometer that will study the composition, texture, and albedo of surface samples." Both instruments were used to take the selfie, and their output combined to make the image below.

The ESA says this is the last selfie Philae will snap, as it is now being readied for the perilous approach to the space rock.

How perilous? Well, Europe's space boffins say the pic below shows “streams of dust and gas extending away from the comet.” And even though the European Space Agency has picked a landing site for Philae, the organisation says “final confirmation of the landing site and its landing scenario is under discussion” at a gabfest. Details of any new decisions will be released on Thursday.

And now, without any further ado, that selfie. Enjoy. ®

Rosetta Selfie from 10 miles

Philae's selfie. Pic: ESA/Rosetta/Philae/CIVA

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