2003 August Mars Encounter

CHARLIE · May 24, 2005, 11:28:31 PM

Bummer! This happened in 2003. So forget about trying to see it this August

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. Share this with your children and grandchildren. NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN

Rockn H · May 24, 2005, 11:44:11 PM

Charlie, thanks for the heads-up. I haven't heard about this , we'll be watching for it for sure.

Paschale · May 24, 2005, 11:51:09 PM

I did a search on this, and it looks like this took place on August 27, 2003. :( I was hoping to see this, but it looks like we already missed it. :(

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/08/13/mars.close.up.ap/index.html

Texas Ranger · May 24, 2005, 11:56:30 PM

Y'all beat me to it, my bro in law, the rocket scientist, advised it in 2003, and I saw it for several nights before I lost interest.

CHARLIE · May 25, 2005, 12:08:55 AM

Well DanG it! The e-mail didn't mention the year and I was lookin' forward to seeing this. I gotta check this out somehow. If it was in 2003, then I apologize.

CHARLIE · May 25, 2005, 12:36:26 AM

If'n y'all wanna see what it looked like back in 2003, then click on this link. It's pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope. Click on images and then click on the pictures to enlarge them.

http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/newsdesk/archive/releases/2003/22/