Philae Lander Celebrates First Full Day on Comet

Check out the first panorama photo taken on comet.

ByABC News
November 13, 2014, 1:43 PM

— -- It's an image billions of years in the making.

One day after the Philae lander made a historic touch down on a speeding comet, the first close-up images are being marveled at on Earth.

The European Space Agency released the first panoramic image from the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov Gerasimenko. The photo shows a stunning 360-degree view of the comet's rocky surface, along with three legs of the landing gear.

Philae landed on the comet after a decade-long, 4 billion-mile journey through space aboard its mothership, Rosetta.

The landing did not go off without a hitch, though.

Harpoons to anchor the lander did not fire into the comet's surface, as had been planned. The first analysis of the landing data shows the lander may have bounced twice before settling on the comet's surface, the ESA said. It remains unanchored.

Earlier today, the lander tweeted a photo showing its new address.

"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 said.

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.

Back in November 1993, the ESA approved the idea of landing a spacecraft on a speeding comet. Fast forward to March 2, 2004 when Rosetta launched from an Ariane 5 G+ rocket, beginning a decade long journey to the comet.

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.

Back in November 1993, the ESA approved the idea of landing a spacecraft on a speeding comet. Fast forward to March 2, 2004 when Rosetta launched from an Ariane 5 G+ rocket, beginning a decade long journey to the comet.

","publishedDate":"2014-11-13T18:43:33Z","contributors":[{"name":"ABC News","url":"","role":"","logo":"","logoAlt":""}],"modifiedDate":"2014-11-13T18:49:28Z","section":"Technology","wordCount":284,"relatedTags":{"heading":"Related Topics","tags":[]},"lead":{"ratio":"16x9","disableForMobile":false,"type":"xl","mediaType":"video","alignCaptionToBody":true},"ads":{"Sticky":{"kvps":{"test":true}},"RightRail":{"kvps":{"test":true}},"InlineBox":{},"InlineOutstream":{"disabled":false},"Taboola":{"position":"bottom","pageType":"article","config":{"network":"abcnews-abcnews","mode":"thumbnails-a","container":"taboola-below-article-thumbnails","type":"article","targetType":"mix","placement":"Below Article Thumbnails"}}},"featuredVideo":{"id":"26886118","type":"video","locator":"https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/philae-lander-captures-photo-comets-surface-26886118","shortLocator":"http://abcn.ws/1ug7e3m","issued":"2014-11-13T15:02:31Z","created":"2014-11-13T15:02:31Z","modified":"2014-11-13T15:23:35Z","date":"2014-11-13T15:02:31Z","keywords":["European Space Agency","ESA","comet","philae lander","Video","26886118"],"section":"GMA","title":"Philae Lander Captures Photo Taken From Comet's Surface","headline":"Philae Lander Captures Photo Taken From Comet's Surface","shortHeadline":"Philae Lander Captures Photo Taken From Comet's Surface","linkHeadline":"Philae Lander Captures Photo Taken From Comet's Surface","description":"The European Space Agency released the first image taken on the rocky terrain.","leadInText":"The European Space Agency released the first image taken on the rocky terrain.","contents":{"image":{"id":"26886119","created":"2014-11-13T14:59:58Z","modified":"2014-11-13T15:00:17Z","credit":"ESA","crops":[{"name":"raw","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/gma_comet_photo_141113_16x9_992.jpg"},{"name":"16x9","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/gma_comet_photo_141113_16x9_992.jpg"},{"name":"16x9t","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/gma_comet_photo_141113_16x9t_992.jpg"},{"name":"33x16","ratio":"33x16","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/gma_comet_photo_141113_33x16_992.jpg"},{"name":"4x3","ratio":"4x3","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/gma_comet_photo_141113_4x3_992.jpg"},{"name":"4x3t","ratio":"4x3t","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/gma_comet_photo_141113_4x3t_992.jpg"}],"description":"VIDEO: The European Space Agency released the first image taken on the rocky terrain."},"playlist":[{"id":"26886118","type":"video","streams":{"m3u8":{"16x9":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2014/11/141113_gma_comet_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"}}},{"id":"26875092","type":"video","streams":{"m3u8":{"16x9":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2014/11/141112_wn_sandell_0838_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"}}},{"id":"26859795","type":"video","streams":{"m3u8":{"16x9":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2014/11/141112_abc_comet_landing_reax_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"}}},{"id":"26858733","type":"video","streams":{"m3u8":{"16x9":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2014/11/141112_atm_comet_sound_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"}}}]},"streams":{"m3u8":{"16x9":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2014/11/141113_gma_comet_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"}},"transcript":{},"alertTag":"","sectionRoot":"GMA","adFlag":true,"noAds":false,"isAmbient":false,"sponsored":false,"hideDate":false,"hideReportTypo":false},"featuredImage":null,"dateline":"—","seo":{"JSONLD":{"videoObject":{"name":"Philae Lander Captures Photo Taken From Comet's Surface","description":"The European Space Agency released the first image taken on the rocky terrain.","uploadDate":"2014-11-13T15:02:31Z","thumbnailUrl":[null,"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/gma_comet_photo_141113_4x3_992.jpg?w=384","https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/gma_comet_photo_141113_16x9_992.jpg?w=384"],"url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2014/11/141113_gma_comet_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2014/11/141113_gma_comet_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","publisher":{"name":"ABC News","logo":{"url":"","@type":"ImageObject"},"@type":"Organization"},"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","id":"https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/philae-lander-captures-photo-comets-surface-26886118"},"duration":""}}},"LivePromotion":{}},"autoUpdate":{"enabled":false,"topics":["general-elections-2020-balance-of-power"]}},"upw":{"balanceOfPower":{"electoral":{"header":"Biden Projected to be President-Elect","candidates":{"democrats":{"id":1036,"displayName":"Joe Biden","shortDisplayName":"J. Biden","firstName":"Joe","lastName":"Biden","party":"democrats","major":true,"incumbent":false,"winner":true,"votes":306},"republicans":{"id":8639,"displayName":"Donald Trump","shortDisplayName":"D. Trump","firstName":"Donald","lastName":"Trump","party":"republicans","major":true,"incumbent":true,"winner":false,"votes":232},"other":{"displayName":"Other","votes":0}},"parties":{"democrats":"democrats","republicans":"republicans"},"type":"electoral","votes":{"democrats":{"available":{},"total":306,"difference":{},"popular":{"displayValue":"81,283,098","value":81283098}},"republicans":{"available":{},"total":232,"difference":{},"popular":{"displayValue":"74,222,958","value":74222958}},"other":{"available":{},"total":0,"popular":{}},"total":538},"needed":{"displayText":"270 to win","displayValue":"270","value":270},"lastUpdated":{"value":"2020-12-18T21:15:13.850Z","displayValue":"December 18, 4:15:13PM ET"},"reporting":"99% of Expected Vote Reporting"},"senate":{"header":"Senate Seat Results","candidates":{"democrats":{"displayName":"Democrats","icon":"party-democrats","votes":46,"winner":false},"republicans":{"displayName":"Republicans","icon":"party-republicans","votes":50,"winner":false},"other":{"displayName":"Other","votes":2}},"parties":{"democrats":"democrats","republicans":"republicans"},"type":"senate","votes":{"democrats":{"available":{"displayText":"12 Democrats up for election","shortDisplayText":"12 Dems. up for election","displayValue":"12","value":12},"total":46,"difference":{"displayText":"Gained 1 seat","displayValue":"1","value":1},"popular":{}},"republicans":{"available":{"displayText":"23 Republicans up for election","shortDisplayText":"23 Reps. up for election","displayValue":"23","value":23},"total":50,"difference":{"displayText":"Lost 1 seat","displayValue":"-1","value":-1},"popular":{}},"other":{"available":{"displayText":"0 Others up for election","shortDisplayText":"0 Others up for election","displayValue":"0","value":0},"total":2,"popular":{}},"total":100},"needed":{"displayText":"51 for control","displayValue":"51","value":51},"lastUpdated":{"value":"2020-12-17T18:22:05.390Z","displayValue":"December 17, 1:22:05PM ET"}},"house":{"header":"House Results: Dems Retain Control","candidates":{"democrats":{"displayName":"Democrats","icon":"party-democrats","votes":222,"winner":true},"republicans":{"displayName":"Republicans","icon":"party-republicans","votes":210,"winner":false},"other":{"displayName":"Other","votes":0}},"parties":{"democrats":"democrats","republicans":"republicans"},"type":"house","votes":{"democrats":{"available":{"displayText":"233 Democrats up for election","shortDisplayText":"233 Dems. up for election","displayValue":"233","value":233},"total":222,"difference":{"displayText":"Lost 10 seats","displayValue":"-10","value":-10},"popular":{}},"republicans":{"available":{"displayText":"201 Republicans up for election","shortDisplayText":"201 Reps. up for election","displayValue":"201","value":201},"total":210,"difference":{"displayText":"Gained 10 seats","displayValue":"10","value":10},"popular":{}},"other":{"available":{"displayText":"1 Others up for election","shortDisplayText":"1 Others up for election","displayValue":"1","value":1},"total":0,"popular":{}},"total":435},"needed":{"displayText":"218 for control","displayValue":"218","value":218},"lastUpdated":{"value":"2020-12-17T18:22:02.900Z","displayValue":"December 17, 1:22:02PM ET"}},"lastUpdated":{"value":"2020-12-18T21:15:13.850Z","displayValue":"December 18, 4:15:13PM ET"},"autoUpdate":{"enabled":false,"topics":["general-elections-2020-balance-of-power"]},"electionsConfig":{}},"types":["electoral","senate","house"]}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewabcnews,wdgasec,wdgnewabcnweb,wdgnewabcnewsrollup","ns":"abcnews","pageName":"abcn:technology:story","pageType":"story","pageUrl":"abcnews.go.com/Technology/philae-lander-celebrates-full-day-comet/story?id=26890816","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"abcn:site","tagID":"apage_news01","userABCookie":"0","alertTag":"none","authors":"ABC News","authorsBureau":"none","authorsUnit":"none","dateline":"—","id":"26890816","modDate":"2014-11-13","mediaOnPage":"video","modTime":"13:49","provider":"ABC News","pubDate":"2014-11-13","pubTime":"13:43","section":"Technology","subBrand":"none","title":"Philae Lander Celebrates First Full Day on Comet","videoId":"26886118","videoName":"Philae Lander Captures Photo Taken From Comet's Surface","wordCount":284},"taboola":{"config":{"network":"abcnews-abcnews","mode":"thumbnails-a","type":"other","targetType":"mix","placement":null,"pageTypeOverrides":{"story":{"mode":"thumbnails-a","type":"article","targetType":"mix","placement":"Below Article Thumbnails"},"home":{"mode":"thumbnails-b","container":"taboola-homepage-thumbnails","type":"home","targetType":"mix","placement":"Homepage Thumbnails"},"section":{"mode":"thumbnails-b","type":"category","targetType":"mix","placement":"Section Front Thumbnails"},"liveBlog":{"mode":"thumbnails-d","type":"other","targetType":"mix","placement":"Blog"}}}}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/Technology/philae-lander-celebrates-full-day-comet/story?id=26890816","vary":{"host":"abcnews.go.com","cached":true,"path":"/Technology/philae-lander-celebrates-full-day-comet/story","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","country":"us","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};