Mars Spectacular!
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Launching!
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: H-Town
Mars Spectacular! 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.
Interesting......
Cheers
G
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.
Interesting......
Cheers
G
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Teching In
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 28
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From: Sachse,Tx
This is NOT TRUE! The closest Mars has ever passed to Earth was Aug 2003. And if Mars was to ever appear as big as the moon to the naked eye there would be major catastrophes on the Earth do to gravitational pull of the planets.
Originally Posted by fred96ws6
This is NOT TRUE! The closest Mars has ever passed to Earth was Aug 2003. And if Mars was to ever appear as big as the moon to the naked eye there would be major catastrophes on the Earth do to gravitational pull of the planets.
Ya beat me to it!!What's going on now is that Venus, Saturn and Mercury appear REALLY, REALLY, REALLY close to each other. Look a bit north of west, just a little above the horizon. The REALLY bright one is Venus. Just a smidge to the left is Mercury - bit harder to see - it's a lot more faint than Venus. A bit down and right is Saturn, though it may get lost in the haze/clouds low on the horizon. I couldn't see Saturn last night - lost in the haze/clouds.
Look now - they set at about 9:50 or so.
Oh, and does anyone know where I can get a telescope? A big one!!
Originally Posted by JackZ28
We should turn this into an opportunity for a meet! 
If we can get 30 people to sign up we can reserve the telescope at the George Observatory some Friday night - there's a fee, but for an opportunity to look through a 36" telescope.....you ever seen the Hubble telescope pictures? Not quite that good, but you'd be seeing it with your own eyes!!
NOTE: The following picture is WAY awesome - you will NOT see the same thing with your eyes through ANY telescope on earth. It was created with probably many timed exposures which were then "stacked" on top of each other and processed.
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/...+for+new+stars.
Keep in mind that to buy a GOOD 10" telescope you're going to pay around two or three grand - likely more. A 36" telescope would be the astronomy equivalent of having.....well.....about a dozen of the GMMG cars. Maybe more.
Ya know - I can't imagine what the telescope staff dudes would think if 30 gearheads in really fast cars showed up for a peek at the stars!!
Seriously, though - if anyone wants to do this chime in. I am DEFINITELY up for it.
Originally Posted by 01ArcticSS
We can!! And it's so EASY!!!
If we can get 30 people to sign up we can reserve the telescope at the George Observatory some Friday night - there's a fee, but for an opportunity to look through a 36" telescope.....you ever seen the Hubble telescope pictures? Not quite that good, but you'd be seeing it with your own eyes!!
NOTE: The following picture is WAY awesome - you will NOT see the same thing with your eyes through ANY telescope on earth. It was created with probably many timed exposures which were then "stacked" on top of each other and processed.
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/...+for+new+stars.
Keep in mind that to buy a GOOD 10" telescope you're going to pay around two or three grand - likely more. A 36" telescope would be the astronomy equivalent of having.....well.....about a dozen of the GMMG cars. Maybe more.
Ya know - I can't imagine what the telescope staff dudes would think if 30 gearheads in really fast cars showed up for a peek at the stars!!
If we can get 30 people to sign up we can reserve the telescope at the George Observatory some Friday night - there's a fee, but for an opportunity to look through a 36" telescope.....you ever seen the Hubble telescope pictures? Not quite that good, but you'd be seeing it with your own eyes!!
NOTE: The following picture is WAY awesome - you will NOT see the same thing with your eyes through ANY telescope on earth. It was created with probably many timed exposures which were then "stacked" on top of each other and processed.
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/...+for+new+stars.
Keep in mind that to buy a GOOD 10" telescope you're going to pay around two or three grand - likely more. A 36" telescope would be the astronomy equivalent of having.....well.....about a dozen of the GMMG cars. Maybe more.
Ya know - I can't imagine what the telescope staff dudes would think if 30 gearheads in really fast cars showed up for a peek at the stars!!
we'll still get a chance to see it this year without a telescope, tho.........
Originally Posted by www.snopes.com
Mars will have another close encounter with Earth in in 2005, but that occurrence will take place in October (not August), and the red planet will appear about 20% smaller than it did during similar circumstances in 2003.
Originally Posted by 02Z28LS1
we'll still get a chance to see it this year without a telescope, tho.........
Mars is visible almost all year long, every year - just happens to be closer than "normal" this year.
Of course that depends on whether you live downtown, or not.....
