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. Share this with your children and
grandchildren. NO ONE
ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN