Comet Siding Spring Mars Rover

86 500 mi from the center point of mars and the uncertainty region shows.

Comet siding spring mars rover.

With an observation arc of 733 days the nominal pass is 0 000931 au 139 300 km. The comet siding spring has made its close flyby of mars on oct. Mars rover view of comet blink of two exposures this two image blink shows a comparison of two exposure times in images from the panoramic camera pancam on nasa s mars exploration rover opportunity showing comet c 2013 a1 siding spring as it flew near mars on oct. The nucleus of the comet won t hit mars but there could be a different kind of collision.

Comet siding spring passed extremely close to mars on 19 october 2014 at 18 28 0 01 utc. The comet known as siding spring raced past mars at 56km per second 125 000mph missing it by 139 500 km. Follow comet siding spring at marscomet on october 19 comet siding spring will pass within 88 000 miles of mars just one third of the distance from the e. Nasa s extensive fleet of science assets particularly those orbiting and roving mars have front row seats to image and study this once in a lifetime flyby.

19 allowing scientists an unprecedented look at the comet as it flies by the red planet. This animation and still image of comet c 2013 a1 siding spring were taken by the mast camera mastcam on nasa s curiosity mars rover as the comet passed near the red planet on oct. We hope to witness two atmospheres colliding explains david brain of the university of colorado s laboratory for. Initial observations by leonid elenin on 27 february 2013 suggested that it might pass 0 000276 au 41 300 km.

Comet siding spring flew about 87 000. 25 700 mi from the center of mars. Hubble images show comet siding spring has passed the snow and water lines the points at which the sun s warmth activates or releases gases and water ice to form the coma and tail. Rovers on the martian surface and satellites were primed to catch the event on their.