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August 11, 2003
Close Encounter with Mars
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I got this in an email this week. I don’t normally go in for this stuff, but this could be cool. That is if we can all get past the dreamy lingo:
“Never again in your lifetime will the Red Planet be so spectacular.
During July and August, Earth is catching up with Mars, an encounter culminating 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 effects 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.
Mars will look similar to the full moon to the naked eye or at a modest 75-power magnification and will be easy to see. At the beginning of August, Mars will rise in the east at 10:00 PM and reach its azimuth at about 3:00 AM. 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 AM. 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 throughout the month. Share with your children, grandchildren and friends. No one alive today will ever see this again.”
During July and August, Earth is catching up with Mars, an encounter culminating 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 effects 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.
Mars will look similar to the full moon to the naked eye or at a modest 75-power magnification and will be easy to see. At the beginning of August, Mars will rise in the east at 10:00 PM and reach its azimuth at about 3:00 AM. 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 AM. 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 throughout the month. Share with your children, grandchildren and friends. No one alive today will ever see this again.”
Do with it what you will.
Real entries coming soon, I promise.