Mars and Comets

[Dockillar]

So if you haven't heard yet, there is a 1 and 2000 chance a comet will fly past Mars next year. Now, I know that we will CERTAINLY get some good pictures from either spirit, opprotunity, or Curiosity if it does fly by. I'm curious what will happen, do you guys think the comet will fly by Mars and if so, what do you think will happen?

[Spaceisbeautifulul]

Well, honestly, I don't think it will.

But, one can hope.

I think if it does, one of those pictures will become my new desktop.

I haven't heard of this, was it recent, or what?

[NovaSilisko]

Erm. It's a 1-in-1 chance of flying past mars. Only a 1-in-120,000 chance of actual impact.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2013_A1

[jwenting]

of course the distance at flyby may be so large it's pretty much invisible to any cameras on anything we have in orbit there (and those cameras of course are afaik fixed towards the surface, I don't think NASA would waste the fuel needed to lock them on a fast moving comet to take a few snapshot and then lock them back on the planet, snapshots of comets are easy enough to take from earth).

[SuperFastJellyfish]

Here's some more info from NASA's website:

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/26mar_marscomet/

Whatever happens impact or no, this is going to be awesome. Especially since the comet's coma will most likely envelope Mars.

[Vonar]

Keeping fingers crossed for a dramatic and graphic impact because that would be a important wakeup call for the government and science community to get serious on the threat of a large Asteroid or comet impact here on Earth, and a impact on Mars by Comet C/2013 A1 could lead to a increase in NASA's budget. Although that is mostly wish-full thinking atm given the low probability of impact 1 in 120,000...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2013_A1

[NovaSilisko]

I can see a poster about it now...

1994: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacts Jupiter...

2014: Comet 2013 A1 impacts Mars...

2034: ????

BE PREPARED!

[Kerbface]

Even though it's really unlikely, I'd really like to see this happen. I just think there'd be some amazing stuff to study, not to mention amazing views.

[metaphor]

If it impacted Mars, it would make a crater that would be visible from Earth, and would probably envelop the planet in worldwide dust storms for years. If the comet nucleus was 10 km in size, it would have an impact energy twice that of the dinosaur-killer asteroid. It would kill the rovers and prevent us from landing anything on Mars for many years. So it's not really a good thing. But that's a very low probability. It's expected to pass at around 100,000 km, which is about 1/4 the distance from the Earth to the Moon, so it should still provide a spectacular view for Mars orbit or surface cameras.

[Kerbface]

NASA disagrees with your assertion. It is significantly lower than the dinosaur killing collision and would not kill the rovers, though could stop Opportunity from getting solar power.

[metaphor]

NASA disagrees with your assertion. It is significantly lower than the dinosaur killing collision and would not kill the rovers, though could stop Opportunity from getting solar power.

Oh cool, I guess it's smaller than I thought. Still pretty imprecise in terms of the nucleus size. A 3 km comet nucleus would have 27 times more energy than a 1 km nucleus. But I guess we'll measure it better as it gets closer.

[Sebskyo]

I can see a poster about it now...

1994: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacts Jupiter...

2014: Comet 2013 A1 impacts Mars...

2034: ????

BE PREPARED!

I read a couple years ago that a comet would supposedly going to hit Earth, but they figured out it would fly by sometime in the 2020's

Edited June 18, 2013 by Sebskyo
Forgot quote

[Vonar]

I read a couple years ago that a comet would supposedly going to hit Earth, but they figured out it would fly by sometime in the 2020's

I think your thinking of the asteroid 99942 Apophis. Apophis has a very small chance of passing through a gravitational keyhole during the 2029 pass that would set up a impact solution with Earth in 2036.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99942_Apophis