[meteorite-list] Update on Comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring)'s Close Flyby of Mars in October 2014

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-081

Comet to Make Close Flyby of Red Planet in October 2014
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
April 12, 2013

Update:

New observations of comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) have allowed NASA's 
Near-Earth Object Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. 
to further refine the comet's orbit.

Based on data through April 7, 2013, the latest orbital plot places the 
comet's closest approach to Mars slightly closer than previous estimates, 
at about 68,000 miles (110,000 kilometers). At the same time, the new data 
set now significantly reduces the probability the comet will impact the Red 
Planet, from about 1 in 8,000 to about 1 in 120,000. The latest estimated 
time for close approach to Mars is about 11:51 a.m. PDT (18:51 UTC) on 
Oct. 19, 2014. At the time of closest approach, the comet will be on the 
sunward side of the planet.

Future observations of the comet are expected to refine the orbit further. 
The most up-to-date close-approach data can be found at: 

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=C%2F2013%20A1;orb=0;cov=0;log=0;cad=1;rad=0#cad .