MARS IS COOL, CHECK IT OUT
>MARS,
>
>The Red Planet is about to be spectacular... This month & next
>the Earth will be catching up with Mars in an encounter that
>will soon culminate in the closest approach between the two
>planets in our recorded history.
>
>The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the
>way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars & perturbs its orbit,
>astronomers can only be certain Mars has NOT come this close
>to Earth in the last 5,000 years - and 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 & will be (next to the moon)
>the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a
>"magnitude of -2.9 & will appear 25.11 'arc seconds' wide...att a modest
>75-power magnification!!
>
>Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. It
>will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in
>the east at 10pm & reach its azimuth at about 3am. By the end
>of August when the two planets are closest - Mars will rise
>at nightfall & reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30am.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 brighter
>& brighter throughout the month.
>
>
>The Red Planet is about to be spectacular... This month & next
>the Earth will be catching up with Mars in an encounter that
>will soon culminate in the closest approach between the two
>planets in our recorded history.
>
>The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the
>way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars & perturbs its orbit,
>astronomers can only be certain Mars has NOT come this close
>to Earth in the last 5,000 years - and 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 & will be (next to the moon)
>the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a
>"magnitude of -2.9 & will appear 25.11 'arc seconds' wide...att a modest
>75-power magnification!!
>
>Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. It
>will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in
>the east at 10pm & reach its azimuth at about 3am. By the end
>of August when the two planets are closest - Mars will rise
>at nightfall & reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30am.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 brighter
>& brighter throughout the month.
>