Mars - About to be Spectacular!

[ccoccocats]

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

 

[hopehacker]

That sounds really exciting. I haven't seen Mars yet, though. From now on, I'll checking the sky out really carefully at night when I go to work

 

[aussie_dog]

I've been checking practically every night, but no mars yet. No moon either, since it's a new moon right now, lol. Hopefully we'll start seeing more of a full moon and more of mars.

 

[captiva]

I heard this was an internet email hoax going around. I guess we could go to some astronomy site to see for certain

 

[bumpy]

Originally Posted by ccoccocats

At a modest 75-power magnification.

Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.
[/b]

Ermm, this sentence is off. It is suppose to be one sentence. "At a modest 75-power magnification, Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye."

AND, Mars will pass close to Earth in October not August. The August date refers to the time Mars pass close to Earth in 2003, which is what I believe this article may actually be referring to. Since Mars was close to Earth in 2003 than will be in 2005.

 

[catsknowme]

I saw Mars this morning all right, and Pleiades was newly up, in the East - and considering it is August, that means that I was up around 4am, trying to figure out how JC got outside, and trying to catch him!!

 

[catsknowme]

Originally Posted by captiva

I heard this was an internet email hoax going around. I guess we could go to some astronomy site to see for certain

Here's an article that I found thru a link from Fleischmann Planetarium of University Nevada,RENO : http://skyandtelescope.com/observing...cle_1556_1.asp

Yup, it's kind of a hoax, I guess someone forgot to check the year.

 

[ccoccocats]

Sorry everyone.

Gee I thought I knew something.

 

[aussie_dog]

Awwww, so there's not going to be a mars?

But come to think of it, I do remember a red moon a few years ago, maybe 2003. I just thought that was an eclipse (people were talking about it, and I just assumed it was an eclipse).

 

[katachtig]

Even if it was to happen, we would probably have cloudy skies. We always do when there is this "once in a life time" astronomical event. Poor hubby will stay up half the night for something only to not see because of the clouds.

 

[captiva]

Originally Posted by ccoccocats

Sorry everyone.

Gee I thought I knew something.

Don't feel bad.

All of us wanted to believe it could be true. I got the same information via email from two people earlier in the summer

 

[rockcat]

Awwww... I got an email about it and was looking forward to seeing Mars. Oh well, we'll just have to look at the sunsets and the stars instead.

 

[winwin]

Pardon me if I ho-hum this bit of news, but astronomical predictions of the past have left me somewhat less than enthusiastic in the acceptance of what is to be beheld.

After the spectacular flops of Kahoutic (sp-whatever) and Halleys comets, let's just say I'll believe it when I see it.

Leonard

 

[captiva]

Leonard,

I thought the comets were very pretty.

Also, a few years ago there was spectactular meteor shower (I cannot remember the name of it) but I went out at 4am in the morning and just stared at the sky. I saw at least two or three per minute. It was amazing to see all of them at once. I made a lot of wishes that night