JPL suggests cometary impact in 2014... *maybe*

Orionblamblam

Orionblamblam

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http://up-ship.com/blog/?p=19134

In short: October 2014, comet C/2013 A1, discovered January 3, is expected to pass within 0.0007 AU... of Mars. An impact cannot be ruled out yet. Even better: it's on a hyperbolic trajectory; if it hits, it'll plow into Mars at 55 km/sec. Even betterer: while it's too early to really nail down how big it is, it's brightness suggests it's a monster... with a nucleus perhaps 50 km in diameter (the dinosaur killer was ~15 km). Impact energy would be measured in *petatons.*
 
And there would be some irony with the strike, if it evers happens.

Men or robots on Mars ?

If the comet strike a) it will wipe out all probes, either in orbit or on the ground b) it may somewhat terraform Mars (at least making it more amenable to humans)
Men 1 robots 0

Is Mars sample return expensive ?

certainly it is. After the comet impact however - let's all those Mars rocks coming...
 
Latest news had the comet passing at least 37 000 km from Mars. Even if it miss, at such minimal distance the show will be spectacular. Mars thin atmosphere mean a lot of material may eventually reach the surface.
 
The frightening things is, this comet was discovered only 18 months prior to a possible impact on Mars... what if it was coming OUR way? If we can't see a fricking 50km COMET heading our way, what chances do we have to see something smaller ( say 5 km) that could wipe us all anyway, in a timely manner to at least have a chance? But i guess we're "busy" with far more "important" things like killing eachother and hating eachother and taking advantage of eachother to give any due attention to "unimportant" issues like the survival of humanity... :mad:
 
Orionblamblam said:
http://up-ship.com/blog/?p=19134

In short: October 2014, comet C/2013 A1, discovered January 3, is expected to pass within 0.0007 AU... of Mars. An impact cannot be ruled out yet. Even better: it's on a hyperbolic trajectory; if it hits, it'll plow into Mars at 55 km/sec. Even betterer: while it's too early to really nail down how big it is, it's brightness suggests it's a monster... with a nucleus perhaps 50 km in diameter (the dinosaur killer was ~15 km). Impact energy would be measured in *petatons.*
Click to expand...
Oh damn, oh DAMN! On the slim chance that it hits, WHAT A SHOW! Glad it's not us.
 
2IDSGT said:
Orionblamblam said:
http://up-ship.com/blog/?p=19134

In short: October 2014, comet C/2013 A1, discovered January 3, is expected to pass within 0.0007 AU... of Mars. An impact cannot be ruled out yet. Even better: it's on a hyperbolic trajectory; if it hits, it'll plow into Mars at 55 km/sec. Even betterer: while it's too early to really nail down how big it is, it's brightness suggests it's a monster... with a nucleus perhaps 50 km in diameter (the dinosaur killer was ~15 km). Impact energy would be measured in *petatons.*
Click to expand...
Oh damn, oh DAMN! On the slim chance that it hits, WHAT A SHOW! Glad it's not us.
Click to expand...

Appropriate avatar for your post!

Bob Clark ;)
 
Orionblamblam said:
http://up-ship.com/blog/?p=19134

In short: October 2014, comet C/2013 A1, discovered January 3, is expected to pass within 0.0007 AU... of Mars. An impact cannot be ruled out yet. Even better: it's on a hyperbolic trajectory; if it hits, it'll plow into Mars at 55 km/sec. Even betterer: while it's too early to really nail down how big it is, it's brightness suggests it's a monster... with a nucleus perhaps 50 km in diameter (the dinosaur killer was ~15 km). Impact energy would be measured in *petatons.*
Click to expand...

Speculation here that such an impact could make Mars habitable:

Rush to Mars: Comet impact could make Red Planet inhabitable.
Published time: February 28, 2013 16:32
http://rt.com/news/mars-comet-tito-flyby-601/


Bob Clark
 
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