Will you be looking skyward this week? You should be. Especially August 27th.

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 12:30 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.

* OK, I admit it. I’m an idiot

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2 Comments »

1. 

   The key phrase, the one that ought to be BOLDFACED IN 36 POINT TYPE, is the following: “At a modest 75-power magnification”. Oh, and the DATE needs to be updated to mid-January, 2010, which will be the next Mars opposition.

   The fact is, these oppositions occur (with varying degrees of closeness) every 22 months. The one on August 27, 2003 was marginally the closest in a lifetime, but the one in 2017? (IIRC) will be only about 1% more distant. Trust me, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference without specialized instruments.

   Comment by Tech Reader — August 25, 2009 @ 8:35 pm

2. 

   You’re not an idot… just possibly in love with the Red planet .. and that’s alright ..

   Comment by Jeannette — August 31, 2009 @ 6:15 am

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