Satellites observing Mars took shelter behind the Red Planet yesterday (19 October 2014) while observing a close comet flyby.
Comet C/2013 A1, also known as comet Siding Spring, passed within about 139 500km of Mars – less than half the distance between Earth and our moon and less than one-tenth the distance of any known comet flyby of Earth,
Siding Sping hurtled past the Red Planet at about 56 kilometers per second.
All three NASA orbiters around Mars confirmed their healthy status Sunday after each took shelter behind Mars during a period of risk from dust released by a passing comet.
Mars Odyssey, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) orbiter all are part of a campaign to study comet Siding Spring and its possible effects on the Martian atmosphere from gases and dust released by the comet
* Pictured: This artist’s concept shows NASA’s Mars orbiters lining up behind the Red Planet for their “duck and cover” manoeuvre to shield them from comet dust that resulted from the close flyby of comet Siding Spring (C/2013 A1) on 19 October 2014.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Siding Spring hurls past Mars
