Well and truly! Look at this new ***gorgeous*** mosaic of four images taken by ROSETTA’s navcam…
That’s a mighty jet shooting out of the neck there, isn’t it? But if you boost that image you can see there are LOTS of jets now shooting out of 67P from all parts of it…
And of course, I couldn’t resist making a couple of rather more “artistic” versions of that image, because it’s just so beautiful…
Meanwhile, the OSIRIS team continues to horde its images, which we now know, thanks to the recent special issue of SCIENCE magazine, are absolutely stunning. I’m increasingly baffled by this, especially as they *are* sharing them with certain people and groups, they’re just holding them back from the media and the public. For example, yesterday my friend and fellow comet enthusiast/blogger/outreacher Daniel Fischer posted a fascinating report on his blog from a ROSETTA conference held in Germany, at which new OSIRIS images were shown to the audience. Of course, taking pictures of the images as they were displayed wasn’t allowed, and to their credit, and showing a remarkable restraint I’m not sure I would have been able to, no-one there (to my knowledge) has posted any sneakily-snapped screenshots of the OSIRIS pictures on Twitter or Facebook, though they must have taken some.
But seriously, come on, what?? Why, if they are so worried about other scientists stealing their discoveries, are the OSIRIS team showing their pictures to *anyone*, especially to roomfuls of the very same scientists they’re so paranoid about? I don’t get it. Either show everyone, or don’t show anyone. Stop treating the public and the science media like undeserving, greedy children, it’s stupid.
And if you think that’s unfair, think about this. During the past week we have seen incredible, historic images taken by other space probes released without any delay. The NEW HORIZONS team released the long-awaited first images from the probe’s final approach to Pluto; the DAWN team released stunning new images of dwarf planet Ceres; NASA continues its policy of DAILY releases of images taken by the Opportunity and Curiosity rovers. And, of course, the ROSETTA NAVCAM team released more pics too. From OSIRIS? Nothing. And no-one can tell me that’s right.
In his blog report and Facebook posts Dan reported that the OSIRIS team will start releasing their images from “mid-May” which is great news – if it happens; at this point I seriously wouldn’t be surprised if the OSIRIS team announced in May that they can’t post any pictures because the dog ate them…
Filed under: Uncategorized |
Cumbrian Sky 
I really love your comments on the “smart” OSIRIS team …
And I bet for the hypothesis of the “dog-eaten-pictures” for mid-May …
[…] den bei weitem am besten erforschten Kometen der Geschichte – hier ein Jet-reiches NavCam-Bild vom 31. Januar aus 28 km Kernabstand – sind in den letzten zwei Wochen in einer Reihe wissenschaftlicher […]
Victor you praise the OSIRIS team
Let me present my view about the extraordinary event:
1. I make a strict difference between the OSIRIS team and the
‚Principal Investigator‘ Mr.Sierks, Max Planck Institut Solar Research (MPS) Germany.
The Sierks predecessor U. Keller (MPS) HAD THE NERVE to withhold the OSIRIS Images of the Rosetta Mars flyby for SEVEN YEARS. ( 7!! years ).
My best guess is:
Dr. Uwe Keller (MPS) simply didn‘t know what to do with them.
2. ESA DLR MPS OSIRIS policy – NAIVE !
A mission
costing >ONE BILLION EUROs
lasting >TEN YEARs until main target intercept – followed by a
critical >TIME WINDOW MISSION PHASE
needs > ALL EYES of the world to not miss a situation which requires or better enforces a mission profile reconfiguration based upon to-date findings !
(OK ok we can repeat such a mission in 20 years from now provided ESA finds another billion Euros!)
INSTEAD the ESA DLR MPS blimp-type bureaucrats decide to keep the most valid data (for a successful mission reconfiguration) SECRET !
3. Pounding on ESA and MPS is one side of the medal. Now – how about DLRs Philae image policy ?
Month ago I asked ESA (Dr. Emily Baldwin „ESA Science Editor“ ) about DLRs Philae Image Release Policy. No answer – instead being kept under strict continued moderation.
When you choose „DLR Philae Blog“ as of today Feb. 8th, 2015 you will find the latest entry of the DLR Blog Editor is dated 14. July 2014 (TWENTYFOURTEEN)
Well I presume DLR is either in posession of no more recent information or unable/unwilling to process, handle, review, submit Philae data.
A REAL DLR COMEDY SHOW was the day of Philae touchdown. The downlook camera sent images to almost touchdown. As to my best knowledge DLR / Philae / PI Ulamecs disclosed a single 10 km image.
INSTEAD we onlookers were „entertained“ with a picture of the controlcenter DLR Cologne. We were given the privilege to watch a dozen of exited flight engineers beleaguering a screen showing the last Philae/ROLIS image prior to crash landing.
WE (the world) were given the privilege to „study“ the flight engineers
rear sides.
There is only one way to understand this: DLR has decided that such a view is more exiting for the watching world audience than a close-up image of comet surface mankind has failed to ever see before.
WELL DONE – DLR – IMPRESSIVE SCIENCE DRAMATURGY !
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR FOR ABOUT ONE AND A HALF DECADES.
Now a comparison:
Being faced with the worldwide protest about the MPS / Sierks information policy we (the world) were told:
„ ..well – OSIRIS is a multinational undertaking. We just cannot distribute the data because of the interest of „MPS“, „UPD“, „LAM“, „IAA“, “SSO“, „INTA“, „UPM“, „DASP“, „IDA“ (and Vatikan)“
OK – OK ! And why then does DLR
(without „MPS“, „UPD“, „LAM“, „IAA“, “SSO“, „INTA“, „UPM“, „DASP“, „IDA“ (and Vatikan)“
execute the same information policy ?
My impression: ESA DLR MPS and … and … and … lack the principle set of
information philosophy we will enjoy with the upcoming NASA missions Ceres / „Dawn“ and Pluto / „New Horizons“
Both mission definately will miss the attribute „Junk Science“
This is my view strictly shaped as a ‚One Mans Opinion’
Error correction “exited” – Must read “excited”
Sorry