Comet buzzes mars in once in a lifetime flyby the comet siding spring has successfully zoomed by mars in a super rare close encounter that is one for the history books.
Comet siding spring update.
At the time of its discovery comet siding spring was farther from the sun than jupiter about 7 2 times farther away from the sun than earth.
Update october 18 2014.
Hurtling through space at about 35 miles 56 kilometers per second comet siding spring c 2013 a1 will sweep very close to the planet mars today.
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.
Nasa s hubble space telescope has produced a unique composite image of comet siding spring as it made its never before seen close passage of a comet by mars.
19 at a distance of approximately 87 000 miles.
The latest trajectory of comet 2013 a1 siding spring generated by the near earth object program office at nasa s jet propulsion laboratory in pasadena calif indicates the comet will pass within 186 000 miles 300 000 kilometers of mars and there is a strong possibility that it might pass much closer.
Siding spring officially designated comet c 2013 a1 made its closest approach to mars at 2 28 p m.
C 2013 a1 siding spring is an oort cloud comet discovered on 3 january 2013 by robert h.
Comet siding spring whizzes past mars update by jenny vaughan.
Mcnaught at siding spring observatory using the 0 5 meter 20 in uppsala southern schmidt telescope.
An illustration by nasa depicts the comet siding spring 2013 a1 traveling toward mars a comet the size of a small mountain and.