Rosetta Probe: What It Has Learned From Year Orbiting Comet 67P

— -- A year after Rosetta first slipped into orbit around comet 67P, the European Space Agency's probe continues to bring back intriguing new images and insights about the behavior and composition of the rubber duck shaped comet.

Rosetta got up close and personal with the comet, which is located somewhere between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, one year ago today, after a 10-year chase spanning more than 4 billion miles across the solar system. More history was made when the orbiter helped send the Philae lander to the comet's surface.

While the Philae lander had a tumultuous landing and has had intermittent contact with Earth, Rosetta has continued to send back a treasure trove of scientific data about the speeding comet.

One of the first major finding of the Rosetta space probe upended the theory that water was brought to Earth by comets.

After the formation of Earth some 4.6 billion years ago, one hypothesis is that water would have come after the planet cooled down, likely from collisions with comets and asteroids.

Instruments on board the Rosetta spacecraft were able to analyze the chemical structure of water vapor on 67P and determined the comet's water did not match the signature of Earth's H2O.

Another finding from Rosetta found molecular nitrogen that supported the theory that the comet was likely born in the frigid Kuiper Belt, a region of the solar system located just beyond the planets.

"This mission is about scientific discovery and every day there is something new to wonder at and try to understand," Nicolas Altobelli, acting Rosetta project scientist, said in a statement. "A year of observations near to the comet has provided us with a wealth of information about it, and we’re looking forward to another year of exploration."

With its one year anniversary reached, Rosetta is now gearing up for what could be one of its biggest science days yet next Friday when it follows 67P through perihelion, the point on the comet's 6.5-year orbit when it makes its closest pass by the sun. It's during this time the comet's behavior is expected to be at its most active.

Since comets are made of dust and ice, it's expected Rosetta will have a front row seat when the frigid material is warmed by the sun and turns to vapor. According to the European Space Agency, the resulting gas and dust could create a "fuzzy atmosphere" along with a tail-like effect extending tens of thousands of miles or more into space.