Look to the skies next month

[987654321]

Mars

The Red Planet is about to be spectacular!

This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that

will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in

recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is

in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on

Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be

certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth

in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as

60,000 years before it happens again.

The encounter will culminate on August 27th when

Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and

will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in

the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9

and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest

75-power magnification

Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.

Mars will be easy to spot. At the

beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m.

and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.

By the end of August when the two planets are

closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its

highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That's pretty

convenient to see something that no human being has

seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at

the beginning of August to see Mars grow

progressively brighter and brighter throughout the

month.

Share this with your children and grandchildren.

NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN

[Roj47]

I would love to believe that Mars will be the same size as the full moon, but surely that is a little exaggeration in there?

Will look to the skies as I stagger from Pub to pub on saturday nights

[Bella-Angelique]

Edited July 13, 2006 by Bella-Angelique

[Raptor]

This news is actually 3 years old, it happened in August 2003. I saw it myself and it looked like a red-tinted star, definetely not the size of the moon, that's a huge exaggeration.

[Bella-Angelique]

Yes. I see March of this year was the last good look.

I am sleepy and was trying to just pop something in for what the topic starter liked.

You can do better than me to find them something nice on Mars I am hope.

Edited July 13, 2006 by Bella-Angelique

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Mars will not be at opposition again until 2007. Bella-Angelique, your last post is one year out of date (it actually says at the very top of the page you link to, The Opposition of Mars

7 November, 2005). In September, October and Novmber of this year Mars will be too close to the Sun (from our view point) for it to be observed.

As to the first post by 987654321 it is total nonsense (not 987654321's fault, this rumour was strong enough in 2003 that the Bad Astronomy site had to have a section on it). Mars can never appear as large as a full moon. In fact to the naked eye it never appears as anything more than a point of light (rather like a bright red star).

Edited July 13, 2006 by Waspie_Dwarf

[LordBishop]

This news is actually 3 years old, it happened in August 2003. I saw it myself and it looked like a red-tinted star, definetely not the size of the moon, that's a huge exaggeration.

This seems like an annual event, stating that Mars will be with in 34 million miles of Earth, the closest ever, etc etc. Even George Noory mention this last summer and the show wasn't a rebroadcast.

I remember it in 2003, it wasn't any more spectacular than Venus or Jupiter at any given time it's visible; it's just the color of Mars was more pronounced.

Edited July 13, 2006 by LordBishop

[frogfish]

I remeber Mars in 2003...I could clearly see the ice caps with my scope...