Comet Siding Spring Orbit

The distance of comet c 2013 a1 siding spring from earth is currently 2 664 565 082 kilometers equivalent to 17 811517 astronomical units.

Comet siding spring orbit.

Nasa s opportunity rover and mars reconnaissance orbiter had their cameras fixated on comet c 2013 a1 siding spring on october 19th 2014. Comet siding spring flew about 87 000 miles from mars during the encounter. Studies in 2014 showed the threat to orbiting spacecraft to be minimal. The latest trajectory of comet 2013 a1 siding spring generated by the near earth object program office at nasa s jet propulsion laboratory in pasadena calif indicates the comet will pass within 186 000 miles 300 000 kilometers of mars and there is a strong possibility that it might pass much closer.

The most interesting thing about c 2013 a1 s orbit is that it will come very close to mars on october 19 2014. Light takes 2 hours 28 minutes and 8 0324 seconds to travel from comet c 2013 a1 siding spring and arrive to us. 1003228 ephemeris orbit diagram orbital elements physical parameters close approach data. Siding spring came within 1 2 astronomical units of earth and 2 25 au of the sun on october 7 2009.

The greatest threat would be about 100 minutes after closest approach. The comet was visible with binoculars until january 2010. It spends the vast majority of its life in the oort cloud. Just weeks before the historic encounter of comet c 2013 a1 siding spring with mars in october 2014 nasa s mars atmosphere and volatile evolution maven spacecraft entered orbit around the red planet.

C 2007 q3 siding spring is an oort cloud comet that was discovered by donna burton in 2007 at siding spring observatory in new south wales australia. Distance kilometers 2 664 565 082 distance au 17 811517. In 2013 it was thought possible that comet siding spring would create a meteor shower on mars or be a threat to the spacecraft in mars orbit. Its orbital path can be seen in the movie below.

C 2013 a1 siding spring classification.