Hathor Rock on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (1 photo)

Here is one of the most impressive terrain features discovered on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.



This gigantic cliff, known as Hathor Rock, rises approximately 900 meters—and this is in extremely weak gravity. For comparison, the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building on Earth, is 828 meters high.

The rock's surface is riddled with cracks and covered with scree. This is a result of the constant "work" of the Sun: when it approaches the Sun, the ice inside the comet sublimates—transitioning directly from a solid state to a gas. Gas escapes and literally loosens the surface, scattering material that first rises upward and then very slowly settles.

Over time, these processes change the shape of entire sections of the nucleus, an integral part of the comet's gradual and irreversible destruction.

This image was obtained by ESA's Rosetta spacecraft, which studied comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko from August 6, 2014, to September 30, 2016.