(no subject)
Hi everyone,
>
> It's going to be a rare sight so remember - don't miss the opportunity
> to view 2 moons in the sky -> 27 AUGUST 2003.
>
> Never again in your lifetime will the Red Planet be so spectacular!
>
> This month and next month the 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 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.
>
> The encounter will culminate on August 27th 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 -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 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 when it comes to seeing something
> that no human has seen in recorded history. So mark your calendar at
> thebeginning of August to see Mars grows progressively brighter and
> brighter throughout the month.
>
> Share with friends, children and grandchildren and with everyone you
> know, as no one alive today will ever see this again.
wonder if this is true. let's all go see at 1230!
edit: oh yeah. it is. appeared in the chinese papers this morning..
[280803]
edit: ooo today time mag also have. cool. :)
>
> It's going to be a rare sight so remember - don't miss the opportunity
> to view 2 moons in the sky -> 27 AUGUST 2003.
>
> Never again in your lifetime will the Red Planet be so spectacular!
>
> This month and next month the 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 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.
>
> The encounter will culminate on August 27th 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 -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 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 when it comes to seeing something
> that no human has seen in recorded history. So mark your calendar at
> thebeginning of August to see Mars grows progressively brighter and
> brighter throughout the month.
>
> Share with friends, children and grandchildren and with everyone you
> know, as no one alive today will ever see this again.
wonder if this is true. let's all go see at 1230!
edit: oh yeah. it is. appeared in the chinese papers this morning..
[280803]
edit: ooo today time mag also have. cool. :)