Moontanman Posted March 28, 2013 Posted March 28, 2013 A comet is headed for Mars in 2014, newly found comet C/2013 A1 seems to be headed for a close encounter with the planet Mars. Calculations at this time indicate the comet has less than a 1/2000 chance of actually impacting Mars but even a close encounter should have significant effects on Mars and some of the space craft currently investigating the Red Planet. An actual impact of the comet on Mars would release about 1/3 the energy thought to have been released by the impact that caused the extinction of the Dinosaurs on Earth. Unless the impact was close by the Curiosity Rover should survive since it is nuclear powered but the Solar powered Opportunity Rover would not survive as well. Conditions on the surface of mars would change drastically if an impact occurred but even a close flyby could affect the orbiters currently at Mars... 1
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