Interstellar comet swinging past Mars as a fleet of spacecraft looks on

Canaveral Cape, Florida – Friday, a comet of another system of stars will swing by Mars while a fleet of spaceships strives from the interstellar visitor.

The comet known as 3i / Atlas will rush within 18 million kilometers (29 million kilometers) on the Red Planet, its closest approach during its trek through the inner solar system. Its dizzying speed: 193,000 MPH (310,000 km / h).

The two satellites of the European space agency around Mars are already aimed at their cameras on the comet, which is only the third interstellar object known for having crossed us. NASA’s satellite and Rovers on the red planet are also available to help observations.

Discovered in July, the comet does not threaten any threat to the earth or its neighboring planets. It will get closest to the sun at the end of October. Throughout November, the ESA juice spacecraft, which heads for Jupiter and its ice moons, will keep an eye on the comet.

The comet will make her approach closest to Earth in December, going at less than 167 million miles (269 million kilometers).

The observations of the Hubble space telescope put the core of the comet at no more than 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers). It could be as small as 1,444 feet (440 meters), according to NASA.

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