Shape models of Comets
Database Status: 5 comets
Updates:
- 06 Oct 2019: Updated 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
- 06 Jun 2016: Updated 103P/Hartley 2
- 06 Jun 2016: Updated 9P/Tempel 1
- 18 Jan 2016: Added 103P/Hartley 2
- 18 Jan 2016: Added 1P/Halley
Humans have been captivated by comets for much of our history and have probably been gazing at them longer than any archaeological record can testify. Comets have inspired both fear and awe in many different cultures and societies and sometimes have been branded with titles such as "the Harbinger of Doom" and "the Menace of the Universe", for no justified reason.
There are about 5500 comets known today, but only a few were visited and imaged at close range by spacecrafts, with 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko being visited recently by Rosetta spacecraft.