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My Blog
Mars will be closer than ever this summer
Mon, July 10, 2006 - 12:32 PM
This month the 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 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.
Share this with your children and grandchildren.
NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN
Mon, July 10, 2006 - 12:32 PM -
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2 Comments
2 Comments |
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Wed, July 12, 2006 - 4:20 PM
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i thought this happened also in 2003, i remember being out at Bman and people were saying this exact same thing...closest ever in 60,000 years, etc...cool if it happens again...but i doubt, as last time, that it really gets as big as the moon (just have to say)
but it's close proximity to us always makes me wonder about the impact of the energy--i.e. "the war planet"...this can be seen in the outer manifestations of the terrible consequences of the malinformed decisions of our self proclaimed leaders :( OR can also be taken as a time to delve within and battle our demons that block us from Divine realization, as in the Bhagavad Gita, when Krishna tells Arjun---it does not matter that there are members of your own family in the enemy army, you must fight because this is what is right....(meant to be taken metaphorically) one love, l.f. |
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Unsu...
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Sat, September 9, 2006 - 10:04 AM
check out my martian photos
look in my photo album. especially the MOTION GIF's. let them load all the way.
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