July 25, 200521 yr comment_60470 copied and pasted from an email i got from an astronomer friend of mine. NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN. The Red Planet (MARS) 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. 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 10 p.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. SO COOL!!!!! More info Here Edited July 25, 200521 yr by Xany Report
July 26, 200521 yr comment_60559 Very cool, Glad i work night shift now, i'll actually be able to see it :D Report
July 26, 200521 yr comment_60641 Here is a link that debunks the story - (damn it that would have looked good too) http://www.astronomy.com/ASY/CS/forums/281296/PrintPost.aspx Report
July 26, 200521 yr Author comment_60733 BIG WHOOPS!!! little hint people: don't believe everything your friends email you..... bwahahahahahaha Report
July 26, 200521 yr comment_60743 hmmm that link is all about 2003 info .... heh i was gunna say something, but i thought that maybe it was just some background info :jamie: Report
July 27, 200521 yr Author comment_60769 seems its been going around.....its a chain letter that prolly went round 2 years ago and somone has decided that they would like to have some fun and send it around again..... i've been had... :jamie: Report
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