Italian instrument aboard the European Space Agency’s Rosetta and Venus Express missions. VIRTIS has two data channels committed to spectral mapping and a third devoted solely to spectroscopy. During the Rosetta mission it was used to determine the nature of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko’s solid surface and measure its temperature, as well as identify gases in (and the characteristics of) the comet’s coma. During the Venus Express mission, VITRIS was used to study the atmosphere of Venus from the uppermost layers down to the deepest levels.

Data from the Visible and Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) aboard the European Space Agency's Venus Express spacecraft were overlayed onto NASA's Magellan images to show the clearest indication yet that Venus is still geologically active. Relatively young lava flows have been identified by the way they emit infrared radiation. The finding suggests that the planet remains capable of volcanic eruptions.

Credit: ESA/NASA/JPL