Lujayne Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 (From Discover Magazine, Aug 2003.) "This month and next 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 will be 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 Aug. 27 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 minus 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 PM and reach its azimuth at about 3 AM. But 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 AM. 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 grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month. Share with your children, and grandchildren. No one alive today will ever see this again." Isn't it cool?? ^_^ If you haven't seen it yet, hurry and go look! About a week or so ago, before I knew what it was, I was going to bed, it was about 1 am or so, and I saw this bright orange light in the trees that looked just like a street light, but there was never one in that spot before, and I was like "what the heck?" so I went outside to look at it and it was this biiig orange star... actually, I could tell it was a star and not a planet due to its non-twinkling nature. And the only planet I'd *ever* known to shine that big and bright was Venus, but this one was so *orange*! and I thought 'is Venus having some kind of apocalypse?? O__O" Cuz it shouldn't be that orange! And I thought, could it be Mars? But I said no way, cuz it's never been that big *ever*! O_O And I went to bed wondering... And then the next day at work this guy (who also likes spacey things) says to me, 'did you see Mars last night?" and I was like, "Is *that* what I was looking at??" And then he said that thing about how it's the closest ever and that it would be in the sky for a while yet... So do what the article says, go looky look!
Zoom Rabbit Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 I've been watching Mars for awhile now, being something of a night owl. It's getting HUGE! Here's a website that coordinates the international amateur astronomers who are just going bananas right now: http://elvis.rowan.edu/marswatch/ And of course, there are those who believe Mars has ancient ruins on the surface which may be more visible to our telescopes that usual, and those people are also going bananas: http://www.enterprisemission.com/planet.html *(Gets Mars rocket gear.)*
Ray Jones Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 finee ... i'll go on vacation soon.. so me and my girl we can sit there at night under the wonderful mars to the wonderful marslight.
Redwing Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 My granparents just notified us of this. ^^ Very, very shibby.
Surfnshannon Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 That will be awesome!! I hope people will read this and not think that an asteriod or something is going to come at us!
swphreak Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 Pretty cool. Maybe I'll stay up and look at the sky if the clouds go away here....
edlib Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 Originally posted by StarWarsPhreak Pretty cool. Maybe I'll stay up and look at the sky if the clouds go away here.... What he said...
GUNNER Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 Looks like I'll need to wander out side at lunchtime. Nice news flash L.
Rogue15 Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 yay....too bad it just doesn't crash into earth....that would be so cool....planets colliding, making another planet...so cool.....
Lynk Former Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 we'll all be dead and we won't be able to see the new planet...
Ray Jones Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 Originally posted by Rogue15 yay....too bad it just doesn't crash into earth....that would be so cool....planets colliding, making another planet...so cool..... no. if two planets collide they dont just stick together like to muddy slime balls .. i think we would get something sililar to the asteroidbelt 'behind' the mars .. (i think i is located there .. ???)
Cmdr. Cracken Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 Pretty neat, L. ^_^ I since i'm up to like 3AM anyway, i should check it out.
El Sitherino Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 this is pretty cool. anyone with a digital camera wanna take some pictures for us
swphreak Posted August 26, 2003 Posted August 26, 2003 Unless the Jax Times writers retards or I can't read, tomorrow is the closest it will get right? Well, it doesn't matter too much, typical Florida weather has made it impossible to see Mars at all. PLus, it's been foggy for the last 2 days at night/early morning. I hope someone gets a screenie for us.
Ray Jones Posted August 30, 2003 Posted August 30, 2003 i'm getting very close to *mars*tonight.. TOTAL RECALL is running on this flickering box in my living room.. yeahyeahyeahyeahyeahyeah. schwarzie has some good movies at hand..
swphreak Posted August 30, 2003 Posted August 30, 2003 I got to see it the other day before I left for school. It was like | | big in the distance. And the brightest star up. All the other days it was too cloudy... stupid Floridian weather.
Taos Posted August 30, 2003 Posted August 30, 2003 Originally posted by Rogue15 yay....too bad it just doesn't crash into earth....that would be so cool....planets colliding, making another planet...so cool..... I'd rather not be around when this happens..... Thanks for the info L.
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