Cooking a comet

Visitors to the Rosetta stand at the ESTEC Open Day on 6 October 2013 watched ‘cook a comet’ demonstrations to illustrate aspects of comet science that the Rosetta mission will explore at comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko in 2014. The comet analogue was made by mixing together dirt, dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide), water, and chocolate sauce to represent the organic chemistry of comets. Thick gloves are needed to handle the dry ice to protect against cold ‘burns’. The final result was a dark, lumpy comet-like nucleus with active gas jets where the dry ice is exposed at the surface. Experts from the Rosetta mission were on hand to answer questions - including ESA Space Science Editor Emily Baldwin, seen here.