Mars

[quackagator]

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

By August 27, 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.

NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN

Got sucked in again did a search story is false sorry

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

By August 27, Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.

someone has been eating moonpies again...

 

[quackagator]

burp

 

[Safeway]

 

[aplefka]

Wow, that's freaking awesome. That's gonna be like the first or second day of school I think, so I'm still gonna be on summer schedule which means I'll be up late to see it close to its peak.

 

[alien42]

on aug 27, 2003, mars came within 34,646,418 miles of earth and your post says it will be within 34,649,589 miles of earth which is not closer. please check the facts before posting rubbish (although that is pretty close)

edit - clarification

August 27, 2003
"At closest approach in 2005 Mars will be 25 percent further away than this year, making it look only 80 percent as big in the telescope. But we in the United States may get a better view of it because at the time Mars will be much further north and higher in the sky,"

 

[eakers]

I got this as a forward at work and assumed it was fake.

 

[Jgtdragon]

haha @ big as the full moon.