ReDD Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 (edited) 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 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. NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN!! Edited August 8, 2005 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReDD Posted August 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 This was an e-mail someone sent to me this morning. I thought some other people on the board may be interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 "Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye."Ya may want to re-think this one. Put on that hat Sherlock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReDD Posted August 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 I just copied and pasted... and have now removed that text. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freak By Night Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 According to NASA, this is a hoax. Mars did appear larger than normal in August of 2003. Perhaps a 2-year old e-mail is making the rounds again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReDD Posted August 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 Well i'm very sorry. I suppose I should have done some research before I posted this. Sorry again guys... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freak By Night Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 No worries Redd. I'm sure most of us have been fooled be e-mail hoaxes before! I know I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouche Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 snopes to the rescue! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Low Roller Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 I remember one night about seven years ago when Mars and Jupiter were so close to each other in the night sky that they appeared as one brilliant object in the sky. You couldn't miss it. It was as bright as floodlight in the sky. Being an amateur astronomer, seeing something new in the sky was both cool and scary as hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberdinghy Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 I like to flick burning cigarettes through the night time sky and tell people it was a shooting star. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisley Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 at a The Dead show in Indiana a couple of years back, was standing beside a somewhat distracted looking fellow... was staring off away from the stage, over the hill just before the encoreas the band returned to the stage he turned back and saw me curious what he scopin... turned back around, pointed and said "Maaaarrrrsssss." was around this time of the year too... incidently, Mars is looking pretty big in the sky these days, noticed it just last night (look to the east round midnight) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveler Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 Aug. is great time to watch the persides comet go by. Lots of falling stars after midnite. Are you sure mars is'nt getting closer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StoneMtn Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 Traveler is correct, and this is some very cool stuff to watch.Here's a quote from a NASA article about these meteor showers. Click on the quote if you want to read the whole article. The Perseids come every year, beginning in late July and stretching into August. Sky watchers outdoors at the right time can see colorful fireballs, occasional outbursts and, almost always, long hours of gracefully streaking meteors. Among the many nights of the shower, there is always one night that is best. This year: August 12th. (I plan to be very tired at work on Friday the 12th...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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