tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163493865891948082.post8159728666980089709..comments2023-12-27T09:37:31.546+01:00Comments on Comets & Asteroids - Small Bodies of the Solar System: Comet C/2013 A1 and its close approach to MarsTeamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02981084132870887939noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163493865891948082.post-12880416703593178432013-03-05T19:31:58.960+01:002013-03-05T19:31:58.960+01:00According to the S&T article (cited in the pos...According to the S&T article (cited in the post):<br /><br />Three craft are circling the Red Planet right now (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Odyssey, and ESA's Mars Express), and both Curiosity and Opportunity are roving its surface. Potentially any of them might be commanded to take some comet pictures.<br /><br />"For example, one of Curiosity's Mast Cameras has a 100-mm focal length and color capability. If the comet performs as expected, says Michael Ravine of Malin Space Science Systems, which built the cameras, some imaging will definitely be planned".<br /><br />Ciao,<br />ErnestoTeamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02981084132870887939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163493865891948082.post-53225505420659879022013-03-05T18:35:54.304+01:002013-03-05T18:35:54.304+01:00Any chance that one of the Mars probes will be abl...Any chance that one of the Mars probes will be able to photograph it?Ken Arromdeehttp://www.rahul.net/arromdeenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163493865891948082.post-70059330478571334132013-03-05T13:09:36.306+01:002013-03-05T13:09:36.306+01:00With an observation arc of 74 days, the nominal co...With an observation arc of 74 days, the nominal comet makes a backside pass of Mars (21:00), increasing orbital energy (e=1.001). With an arc of 148 days, the nominal comet makes a front-side pass of Mars (19:28), decreasing orbital energy (0.99974). Looking at Aldo Vitagliano's magenta impactor, impact scenarios seem to occur around <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b1HZED5_tLQ/UTUB3tvnmAI/AAAAAAAABSU/k5TGO7palaM/s1600/Marsimp3.GIF" rel="nofollow">20:00 to 20:15</a> UT.Kevin Heiderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02481237789891878317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163493865891948082.post-36295342508814688312013-03-04T23:19:03.436+01:002013-03-04T23:19:03.436+01:00If you query JPL's Horizons ephemeris generato...If you query JPL's Horizons ephemeris generator (via the telnet interface) you currently get an impact probability of 1 in 640, and while this approximation isn't as reliable as what e.g. Sentry produces for NEAs, it's an ... interesting number.Daniel Fischerhttp://skyweek.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com