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Mars Orbiter Spies Comet ISON

Posted by samzenpus on from the let's-have-a-look dept.

astroengine writes "Scientists managing the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) have released their first observations of the incoming Comet ISON. The MRO was commanded to turn away its perpetual Mars-ward gaze and point into deep space to capture its own snapshot of the famous comet. ISON is currently making its closest approach to the red planet, passing just 7 million miles from its surface. The first raw images were snapped on Sept. 29 when the object was 8 million miles from the planet and more images (taken on Oct. 1 and Oct. 2) are currently being processed."

11 of 41 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Now all we need... by Sockatume · · Score: 4, Funny

    So, a sequel to Armageddon then.

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    No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
  2. When did by skovnymfe · · Score: 4, Funny

    When did miles become a valid unit of distance in astronomy? Haven't we all agreed on a standard unit of measurement for all things science, such as the meter, by now?

    1. Re:When did by Zorpheus · · Score: 2

      At least they did not convert 11 million kilometers to 6,835,080 miles

    2. Re:When did by Sockatume · · Score: 4, Funny

      It's a lot easier to picture 8 million miles than 13 million kilometres.

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      No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
    3. Re:When did by cusco · · Score: 2

      Better than if they had used 'football fields', I suppose.

      --
      "Think about how stupid the average person is. Now, realise that half of them are dumber than that." - George Carlin
    4. Re:When did by rossdee · · Score: 2

      Metres are a bit small for measuring astronomical distances. For things inside the solar system the Astronomical Unit (AU) is used, (Its the average distance from the earth to the sun, (For americans, 93 million miles)

  3. Miles? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Can we make a rule that says non-metric units are completely banned from Slashdot? I'm from Omaha, but I use Metric because I care about science and math. This site is supposed to be for people like me, not people that are holding the United States back and putting as at manufacturing and STEM disadvantages relative to every other country on Earth by insisting on using inferior and obsolete forms of measurement.

    1. Re:Miles? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Being from Nebraska I would figure you were still using furlongs...

    2. Re:Miles? by dbIII · · Score: 3, Funny

      He only comes from Nebraska. He works in outer space.

  4. This shit is WAY out of hand! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    The Mars Orbiter is spying on Comet ISON? WTF? There isn't any privacy even in outer space?

    Someone needs to rein in the NSA now. You didn't fool anybody by slipping that extra "A" in your name. N(A)SA: lame attempt at hiding there.

  5. Re:Will it hit Mars? by Mad+Bad+Rabbit · · Score: 3, Informative

    That's comet Siding Spring not ISON.
    Also, they've collected more data that shows it'll miss Mars by at least 66,000 km.

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    >;k