Don't miss Mars...closest to Earth in at least 5000 years!
TV ClubHouse: Archives: Don't miss Mars...closest to Earth in at least 5000 years!
Sanfranjoshfan | Monday, August 04, 2003 - 07:37 pm     I got this email from a friend of mine....thought any amateur astonomers here might be interested! Subject: Don't Miss Mars Never again in our lifetime will the Red Planet be so spectacular. This month (August, 2003) the Earth is catching up with Mars, 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. The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles 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 he naked eye. Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August Mars will rise in the east at 10 p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m. But 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 12:30 a.m. That's pretty convenient when it comes to seeing something that no human 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! No one alive today will ever see this again. |
Squaredsc | Monday, August 04, 2003 - 08:08 pm     kool. but what time frame is the beginning of august or should i go outside now? |
Melfie1222 | Monday, August 04, 2003 - 09:22 pm     Very cool... I got this message too... some people are already able to spot it now, but as Sanfran's post said, it should be most visible on August 27th and 28th. |
Draheid | Monday, August 04, 2003 - 10:57 pm     Some excellent information about this can be found at Nasa's website . They suggest to look before the 27th of August when it will be closest as there are 'dust storm' activities that may make viewing more difficult. |
Crazydog | Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 12:10 pm     I think I remember looking at Mars when I was a child. One of my teachers told us where and when to look. I was all excited when I saw what looked to be a bright red star, especially when I saw that Mars was MOVING. Eventually I realized that it was just the landing lights on an airplane. |
Gidget | Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 01:40 pm     Now if it would just stop raining in NJ for one night in August I just may get to see it... sigh |
Sia | Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 03:20 pm     Sanfranjoshfan Monday, August 04, 2003 - 07:39 pm Share this! No one alive today will ever see this again. Only those of us who plan to have our heads/brains cryogenically preserved until 2286 and then getting thawed out and transplanted into someone who'll be alive then!  |
Sanfranjoshfan | Monday, August 11, 2003 - 10:56 pm     Just wanted to point out that already, Mars is so big that you can't miss it. When I went out to see if I could find it a couple nights ago, I wasn't even sure where to even look at first, but it was easy to spot....it's the biggest and brightest thing in the sky besides the moon. I wish I had a telescope! |
Calamity | Tuesday, August 12, 2003 - 09:29 am     Thanks for this thread! Here's a little more info for anyone who's interested: This week Mars and the Moon will be rising together in the southeastern sky. With today’s full moon and the red planet approaching its closest pass of Earth in perhaps 60,000 years, the view ought to be quite brilliant. August 12-13 also marks the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower but light from the full moon will obscure the fainter shooting stars. • Tuesday Night: Mars rises just below and to the left of the Moon, which comes up about 8:55 local time. They are so close you can probably block both out with your fist on an extended arm. Those with a clear view of the horizon can see them easily by 9:30, others may have to wait a bit. • Wednesday Morning: Again both are high in the south in the wee hours of the morning, Mars at the Moon's left. As dawn takes over, the duo has sunk toward the southwest but remain well above the horizon. • Wednesday Night: Almost a repeat of Tuesday night, except now Mars is slightly above and to the right of the Moon, which comes up at about 9:23 local time. Look for Mars a bit earlier if you have a clear view of the horizon. • Thursday Morning: Mars and the Moon lift high into the southern sky, nearly duplicating the previous night's dance but having swapped sides. By 1 a.m. Mars has dropped slightly below the Moon in the sky and is off to its right. Mars shifts even more underneath the Moon toward dawn, with both still well up in the sky as the Sun takes over. Magical Night Sky Week |
Squaredsc | Tuesday, August 12, 2003 - 08:02 pm     dang clouds today/tonite, i can't see anything. hope it clears up tomorrow. |
Crazydog | Wednesday, August 27, 2003 - 09:05 am     I saw Mars last night... I didn't use a telescope so all I saw looked like a reddish/orangish star. It's very bright though. |
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