The final batch of high-resolution images from Rosettas OSIRIS camera covers the period from late July 2016 to the mission end on 30 September 2016.

It brings the total count of images from the narrow- and wide-angle cameras to nearly 100 000 across the spacecrafts 12 year journey through space, including early flybys of Earth, Mars and two asteroids before arriving at the comet.

The spacecrafts trajectory around the comet changed progressively during the final two months of the mission, bringing it closer and closer at its nearest point along elliptical orbits.

This allowed some spectacular images to be obtained from within just two kilometres of the surface, highlighting the contrasts in exquisite detail between the smooth and dusty terrain, and more consolidated, fractured comet material.

With Rosetta flying so close, challenging conditions associated with the dust and gas escaping from the comet, along with the topography of the local terrain, caused problems with getting the best line-of-sight view of Philaes expected location, but the winning shot was finally captured just weeks before the mission end.

In the missions last hours as Rosetta moved even closer towards the surface of the comet, it scanned across an ancient pit and finally sent back images showing what would become its resting place.

Having all the images finally archived to be shared with the world is a wonderful feeling, says Holger Sierks, principal investigator of the camera.

We are also pleased to announce that all OSIRIS images are now available under a Creative Commons license.

The final set of images supplements the rich treasure chest of data that the scientific community are already delving into in order to really understand this comet from all perspectives not just from images but also from the gas, dust and plasma angle and to explore the role of comets in general in our ideas of Solar System formation, says Matt Taylor, ESAs Rosetta project scientist.

There are certainly plenty of mysteries, and plenty still to discover.

Matt Taylor ESA Rosetta project scientist Email: matt.tayloresa.int.

Markus Bauer ESA Science and Robotic Exploration Communication Officer Tel: 31 71 565 6799 Mob: 31 61 594 3 954 Email: markus.baueresa.int.

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