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Post by rufffan on Jul 31, 2003 20:17:13 GMT -5
Never again in your lifetime will the Red Planet be so
spectacular! This month and next month 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 the 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.
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
grows progressively brighter and brighter throughout
the month. Share with your children and grandchildren. No one alive today will ever see this again.
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Post by Cadeho on Aug 1, 2003 1:13:30 GMT -5
It'll get as big as the moon?! Well a few nights ago I noticed a star right by the moon and I wondered what it could be... of course I knew it was a planet but didn't know which one.. thanks... I'm going to look this up...  |
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Post by Elvis84 on Aug 1, 2003 9:28:55 GMT -5
Very interesting information about Mars : www.chez.com/lesovnis/indexe.htm Go to this page and then click there on Mars section! *** Did you all know that there is blue sky and liquid water on Mars?!! If no, then read and look at the pictures there. Everything is explained too!  |
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Post by Ivory Fair on Aug 1, 2003 10:15:30 GMT -5
Awww rufffan, you just gave me a warm fuzzy. When I was growing up, my Mom would always drag my Dad and I outside at 2am to see the moon eclipsing or something. I'm sure she'll be watching Mars all month, taking photos and putting them in a scrap book. My mom has taught me it's important to stop and smell the roses. Incidentally you also remind me of another Ruff fan I know who ALSO loved astronomy. Wish she was still posting.  |
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Post by Dbaby on Aug 1, 2003 10:26:45 GMT -5
That is so cool! I'm gonna get up and take pictures and do the whole scrapbook thing! Thanks for telling us about it Rufffan!  |
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Post by rufffan on Aug 1, 2003 10:55:59 GMT -5
I will try to get some photos to post.
Living in the Houston area may be difficult to capture a photo but I will try.
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Post by Aba21 on Aug 1, 2003 10:57:27 GMT -5
Very interesting information about Mars : www.chez.com/lesovnis/indexe.htm Go to this page and then click there on Mars section! *** Did you all know that there is blue sky and liquid water on Mars? If no, then read and look at the pictures there. Everything is explained too! I got my Pentex 500x night glasses ready to see where Ivory is planning to send all the Otis bashers!!!!!  |
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Post by Elvis84 on Aug 1, 2003 14:29:55 GMT -5
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Post by MikeNYC on Aug 1, 2003 15:22:47 GMT -5
I got my Pentex 500x night glasses ready to see where Ivory is planning to send all the Otis bashers!!!!! NOWHERE! ;D   |
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JoJo
New Member
Posts: 22
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Post by JoJo on Aug 12, 2003 7:23:36 GMT -5
Ruffin, thanks so much for posting this information. I printed it out, and the kids and I go out almost every night and look. It is such a good thing. I will get my camera too and try to get pictures.
Thanks again.
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Post by rufffan on Aug 12, 2003 7:34:47 GMT -5
I got my Pentex 500x night glasses ready to see where Ivory is planning to send all the Otis bashers!!!!! ABA: Any luck with your Pentex 500x night glasses? |
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Post by rufffan on Aug 12, 2003 7:37:45 GMT -5
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Post by janebse on Aug 12, 2003 9:08:22 GMT -5
I went to the site you wrote about. Others probably did too.
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Post by Ivory Fair on Aug 12, 2003 9:47:21 GMT -5
I did to. I have a hard enough time finding the sky, much less Mars IN the sky, but I'm gonna give it the old college try.
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Post by Aba21 on Aug 12, 2003 10:51:41 GMT -5
ABA: Any luck with your Pentex 500x night glasses? Yes....last night or the night before that is I could see a redish glow about 11pm near the moon. I don't know if was Mars but I had never seen anything like that before. My glasses are pretty good. I can see the craters on the moon very clearly when it a full moon. |
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