Mars viewing this Summer

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » June 16, 2005, 3:27 am

Mars Spectacular

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.

Bitchin'! Aren't we do for another dose of Leonids soon also?

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » June 16, 2005, 5:14 am

At a modest 75-power magnification
Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.

HTF? Why wasn't I equipped w/ the telephoto eyes like this guy?

Canoe · Post by **Canoe** » June 16, 2005, 10:09 am

Zaelath wrote:
At a modest 75-power magnification
Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.
HTF? Why wasn't I equipped w/ the telephoto eyes like this guy?

What he's saying is with 75 power magnification, mars will look like the full moon does to the naked eye.

So basically mars will be 75X smaller than the full moon.

Desolet · Post by **Desolet** » June 16, 2005, 10:14 am

http://www.snopes.com/science/mars.asp

Seebs · Post by **Seebs** » June 16, 2005, 10:54 am

Gas will pass incredibly close to my brown eye in about 15 minutes. Be there for the sensory smorsgasboard.

If you wish to view it, that'll be $10 extra.

Sylvos · Post by **Sylvos** » June 16, 2005, 11:30 am

that's foul seebs.

Whenever you let out a gaseous emission that incapacitates a coworker or loved one. At Adobe we now call that Schiavo'd. I think its in poor form but it fits.

Seebs · Post by **Seebs** » June 16, 2005, 11:42 am

Well, I could just uncap my tooth again.

Sweet mother of Jesus.