I wonder if it's big enough to pulverize enough of Phobos to generate visible rings. Still, definitely a cool scenario to see play-out. It would contribute mightily to ring science.
From what I've been reading, it won't be detectable visually in amateur-sized telescopes if it hits Mars, but CCD & CMOS cameras should be able to image it if there is no big dust-storm raging at the time. If it doesn't take-out Opportunity directly, that may actually be the best seat in the house. The video would need to be uploaded quickly before the solar panels were buried in dust from the back-fall.
On Dec 24, 2007 12:46 PM, Kurt Fisher <fisherka@csolutions.net> wrote:
In my wildest imaging of the event, if the long odds play out, the impactor hits Phobos and we end up with two ringed planets! Face slap!! Okay, now I'm back to reality. -:) Kurt