Mars and Comet C/2013 A1

A close encounter between our neighbouring red planet Mars and Comet C/2013 A1, also known as Siding Spring, as it whizzes through the night sky on 22 October 2014. It was initially thought that there was a chance of collision between the comet and Mars when the comet was discovered in 2013, but this was ruled out when the comet’s orbit was determined more accurately. Siding Spring Observatory, Coonabarabran, New South Wales, Australia.

Image Credit & Copyright: Sebastian Voltmer
Explanation by: Royal Observatory Greenwich