[meteorite-list] Mars Rover Opportunity Views Comet Near Mars

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4348

NASA Rover Opportunity Views Comet Near Mars

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity captured images of a comet passing 
much closer to Mars than any previous known comet flyby of Earth or Mars. 
The images of comet Siding Spring were taken against a backdrop of the 
pre-dawn Martian sky on Sunday (Oct. 19).

Images of comet A1 Siding Spring from the rover's panoramic camera (Pancam) 
are online at:

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA18591

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA18592

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA18617

Researchers used Opportunity's Pancam to image at a range of exposure 
times about two-and-one-half hours before the closest approach of the 
nucleus of comet Siding Spring to Mars. By the time of closest approach 
 at about 87,000 miles (139,500 kilometers), dawn had lit the sky above 
Opportunity.

"It's excitingly fortunate that this comet came so close to Mars to give 
us a chance to study it with the instruments we're using to study Mars," 
said Opportunity science team member Mark Lemmon of Texas A&M University, 
who coordinated the camera pointing. "The views from Mars rovers, in particular, 
give us a human perspective, because they are about as sensitive to light 
as our eyes would be."

Three NASA Mars orbiters, two Mars rovers and other assets on Earth and 
in space are studying comet Siding Spring. This comet is making its first 
visit this close to the sun from the outer solar system's Oort Cloud, 
so the concerted campaign of observations may yield fresh clues to our 
solar system's earliest days more than 4 billion years ago.

Opportunity has been roving on Mars since January 2004 and has provided 
evidence about the Red Planet's ancient wet environments.

For more about Opportunity, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/rovers

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov

For more about comet Siding Spring, visit:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/comets/sidingspring/


Media Contact

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
guy.webster at jpl.nasa.gov 

2014-365