photo: nationalgeographic
As crazy as it sounds, the word Marsaggedon is probably as appropriate as it could be.
The recent meteor-asteroid- comet trifecta has gotten people to pay more attention to celestial phenoms, but this one, which should impact Mars in 2014, should really catch people's attention.
A large comet, about 9-30 miles in diameter is supposed to do a fly by, or impact, since its trajectory is still not known with precision, and could spell trouble not only for the red planet, but could have consequences for earth too.
The comet, called Siding Spring, is believed to be in a trajectory that should miss Mars, but bcause of its distance, the trajectory is subject to change, and that change could very well bring it close enough to make contact.
The date would be October 19, 2014.
As the comet approaches, better data on its path will be available by the fall of this year.
For comparison purposes, this comet is nearly twice the size of the comet that is believed to have caused the dinosaur extinction 65 million years ago.
The comet would hit the back of the red planet, so that it would pose no immediate danger to us, but it would create a deep crater and propel unforeseeable amounts of debris into space.
It, like the asteroid that hit Jupiter some years ago, should be a reminder of the fragile balance of the universe, and our own existence. If something of this size hit earth now, it could end civilization as we know it.
Although there is a program in place to strike a possible meteor or comet before it hits earth, the ability to successfully obliterate the comet or asteroid, does not eliminate the shower of debris created by the strike.
One of these program is the Asteroid Deflection Research Center, which is raising a 500$ million fund to test a nuclear head equipped asteroid interceptor.
The Mars Rovers currently on the red planet should also give us a good view of the impact and its aftermath.
The Comet strike could also unleash a massive flood, something that astronomer recognize already happened million of years ago near a valley called Marte Vallis.
Source: Alan Boyle 3.9.13
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