(CNN) -- It was the closest comet near-miss known to astronomers, but everything is alright. Comet Siding Spring shaved past a planet's surface at one third the distance of the Earth to the moon. But it wasn't Earth in the cross hairs -- it was our neighbor Mars. Earth got lucky in more than one way. With a gang of NASA orbiters and rovers on and around Mars, their cameras and instruments got a historic front row seat on the comet that NASA said made the closest recorded pass ever by any planet. The three orbiters are just coming out of hiding.
@highlight
Siding Spring came within 87,000 miles of Mars -- close for a comet flyby
@highlight
NASA protected its spacecraft orbiting the planet by having them hide
@highlight
The first of three NASA orbiters reported to be in good health
Mars
Mars
Mars
Otherwise, Siding Spring's debris of dust and gas flying at 126,000 miles per hour just 87,000 miles above @placeholder' surface could have blasted them like a shotgun.
Earth
Earth
Earth
The comet does not pose a threat to @placeholder and was headed back out to the outer reaches of the solar system, NASA said.
Mars
Mars
Mars
The NASA rovers that are on the surface of @placeholder were protected by Mars' atmosphere, NASA said.