Mars - Important message

The Red Planet is about to be spectacular!
This month?the 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 12:30 a.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

Anyone wishing for the photos to be emailed, please message me. Thanks.

Mars is Mars is Mars

Technical truths are just that. However, for us who choose to view Mars in the sky, it won't look any different than it did a week or so ago or even today relative to how it will look at the end of August. We are talking small percentage points here regarding its closest point in late August as compared to two years ago or two years hence.

As astrologers, we measure angular relationships, considering these more important than distance values. So, yes, we'll say hooray for Mars and then go about our other business.

Thanks for pointing out the date, though. WHAT IS IMPORTANT is that Mars is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, that it is square to Pluto at that time, that it is generally opposite Uranus. Mars will square the chart ASC angle for Iraq's General Election last Dec. 15th within a degree -- we can expect a real batch of turmoil there at that time. Dave

Thankyou

I had just been passed on that message, so it is good to hear what you have to say.

Thanks,

Faery.

Thank You Faery!

I found this facinating!
I'm more interested in looking up at that beautiful night sky and adoring all that she is!

Aug 27 is my granddaughters birthday, so I won't forget it!

Thank you so much for passing this information on to us!

Barb

faery said:

Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.

Click to expand...

No it won't. If it did, it would have shifted orbit and be about to crash into the Earth - now that would be spectacular.

BTW you are three years out of date. The event you refer to happened in August 2003 and we have already had a thread on it. This August (2006) Mars is close to the Sun and during the last two weeks of August will be almost impossible to see because of the Sun's glare. Nasa explains this at

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/allabout/nightsky/viewing-tips-2006.html

My nickname used to be Do-Do anyway so this is my question.

Where is Mars in the night sky ? Is it just below the Moon ? I am near Toronto, Canada.

I did look at NASA and at Sky something and every site I could think of.
It would make life simple if I knew where to look.

To make matters worse I have a beautiful Telescope in the basement I do not know how to use !!! Time I joined an Astronomy club ! Thanks

You will have some difficulty spotting it now. The best time is in the hour just after sunset, when you may be able to catch it just above the Western horizon. However as this month procedes you will lose it in the glare of the setting Sun. It will be some time before it becomes visible again - well into into the Autumn.