It seems that Mars will be "buzzed" this weekend by a comet the size of a small mountain. :-O

http://www.news.com.au/world/breaking-news/once-in-a-million-year-comet-buzzing-mars/story-e6frfkui-1227093330696

Cheers.

Once-in-a-million-year comet, that part is nice.

Thanks Wiggo.

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Here's what NASA has to say about this event.
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2014/12aug_marscomet/

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Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.

It seems that Mars will be "buzzed" this weekend by a comet the size of a small mountain. :-O

The God of War could use a good buzz cut .....

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Does anyone know whether this Mars flyby will change the trajectory of the comet?

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Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.

NASA charts do not show any change in the comet's path.
Tullio

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I wonder how intense the tail of this comet will become as it plunges deeper into the solar system. It is believed to be a first time visitor to the inner solar system so I guess no one knows for sure.

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Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.

The Mars Orbiters should give us more data on the tail. It seems they have survived. There was once (I believe 1910) a scare because the Earth would be within the tail of Halley's comet. People were frightened by an article by Camille Flammarion. In Florence, people prepared for the event by planning to spend the night of the comet's passage with food and Chianti wine available. Astronomer Paolo Maffei gives a vivid account of that night in his book "La Cometa di Halley". Nothing evil happened, except for some hangovers.
Tullio

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Now that the comet is past Mars where is it heading? Will it develop a tail that will be visible from earth. It looks like all the scientific community was interested in was the flyby as I can't find any info about it's future path.

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Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.

Now that the comet is past Mars where is it heading? Will it develop a tail that will be visible from earth. It looks like all the scientific community was interested in was the flyby as I can't find any info about it's future path.

Then you may not be looking in the right spot
http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/

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Thanks Gary, I looked. There is a lot of raw data there but I couldn't find any discussion or graphics related to Siding Springs.

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Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.

See here from JPL:
Siding Spring
Tullio

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