New encounter of comet Siding Spring

Just a few days will be an exciting event – very close to Mars as the comet passes, overcame the billions of kilometers. The distance that it will approach the red planet, will be roughly one third that divides the earth and the moon.

Recently, comet Siding Spring came from the Oort cloud, threatened the Earth. Now, it is expected that her meeting with Mars. The event will see all devices that reside on the surface of the planet Mars and its orbit. Their competence includes the study of the effect on the atmosphere of the planet will have a comet. Special hopes are pinned on the device MAVEN, whose task is the observation of the Martian upper layers.





This comet, also known as C/2013 A1, discovered last year with the help of Observatory Siding spring. The author is an astronomer Robert McNaught. A journey through the inner Solar system for comets debut. Never before has she faced with the impact of heat, therefore, with high probability, since the formation, which took place 4.6 billion years ago remained virtually unchanged. It attracts such attention of scholars to its behavior and composition, hoping to get clues about the conditions in which the Solar system formed.

Scientists do not fear a collision of the planet with this comet: according to their calculations, the chance is zero. Happens the maximum convergence of celestial bodies in 22:27 GMT. In the time of flight of the comet will have a speed is 54 kilometers per second. We know from previous missions that the core diameter ranges from 0.8 to 8.0 kilometers, the tail extends over 480 thousand kilometers, and the size of the coma is 160 thousand kilometers.

About a hundred minutes after closest approach, the calculations show very close to the tail will be Mars. But, the spacecraft will be at this time on the opposite side, i.e. under the protection of the planet. Not in danger and the Mars Rovers Opportunity and Curiosity. Despite the fact that the planet has low density, it is enough to protect from the matter of Siding Spring all devices.