Comet Siding Spring – Astronomy Now

Close comet flyby threw Mars’ magnetic field into chaos

10 March 2016 Astronomy Now

The close encounter between comet Siding Spring and Mars in October 2014 flooded the planet with an invisible tide of charged particles from the comet’s coma, according to data from NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft. The comet’s powerful magnetic field temporarily merged with, and overwhelmed, the planet’s weak field.

MAVEN begins science mission at Mars

18 November 2014 Stephen Clark

NASA’s newest Mars orbiter has formally started a one-year research campaign to study an ancient case of climate change that starved the red planet of water, breathable air and potential life, scientists said Monday.

Comet dust ionises Mars’ atmosphere

10 November 2014 Keith Cooper

A comet that flew close to Mars showered the red planet with fine cometary dust, according to observations by a trio of spacecraft.

Curiosity Mars rover sees Comet Siding Spring pass by

6 November 2014 Astronomy Now

An animation of comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring captured by NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover as the comet passed near the red planet.

Hubble creates view of Comet Siding Spring alongside the red planet

23 October 2014 Astronomy Now

This composite Hubble Space Telescope image captures the positions of comet Siding Spring and Mars in a never-before-seen close passage of a comet.

Mars spacecraft safe after fortuitous comet encounter

20 October 2014 Stephen Clark

A fleet of robotic spacecraft orbiting Mars got a front row seat to space history Sunday and lived to tell about it, giving scientists their first close-up look at a comet fresh from a cloud of primordial mini-worlds at the outer reaches of the solar system.

Amateur astronomers have ringside seats for cometary close encounter

18 October 2014 Mark Armstrong

Amateur astronomers around the globe have a ringside seat as Comet 2013 A1 (Siding Spring) hurtles through space en route to an incredibly close encounter with the planet Mars on Sunday, 19 October.

Mars probes will hide from comet dust

17 October 2014 Keith Cooper

This Sunday, a comet will come closer to Mars than any other comet has ever been seen to approach a planet without actually hitting it, sending our assorted spacecraft orbiting the red planet running for cover.

Mars versus the comet

17 October 2014 Keith Cooper

A flotilla of spacecraft orbiting Mars will be turning their instruments in two directions – one towards Comet Siding Spring, and the other towards Mars itself, to find out what happens when a planetary atmosphere brushes against the fuzzy atmosphere of a comet.

Comet Siding Spring Animation

16 October 2014 Astronomy Now

This animation shows Comet Siding Spring’s path as it comes within 132,000 kilometres (82,000 miles) of Mars on 19 October 2014.