[kj] (OT) CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH MARS ?
Cliff and Kara Livingston
gathering@misera.net
Thu, 31 Jul 2003 09:43:17 -0800
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Anyone heard of this?
Cliff
CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH MARS
=20
Never again in your lifetime will the Red Planet be so spectacular. =
This
month and next, 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.
=20
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 10 p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m. But 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 the beginning of August to see Mars grow
progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month.
Share with your children and grandchildren. No one alive today will =
ever
see this again.
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" =
size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2>Anyone heard of =
this?</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" =
size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2>Cliff</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" =
size=3D3><BR> CLOSE=20
ENCOUNTER WITH MARS<BR> <BR> Never again in your lifetime will the =
Red=20
Planet be so spectacular. This<BR> month and next, Earth is =
catching=20
up with Mars, an encounter that will<BR> culminate in the closest =
approach=20
between the two planets in recorded<BR> history. The next time Mars =
may=20
come this close is in 2287.<BR> <BR> Due to the way Jupiter's =
gravity tugs=20
on Mars and perturbs its orbit,<BR> astronomers can only be certain =
that=20
Mars has not come this close to Earth<BR> in the last 5,000 years =
but it=20
may be as long as 60,000 years. The encounter<BR> will culminate on =
August=20
27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles and will be (next =
to the=20
moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will<BR> attain a =
magnitude=20
of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a<BR> modest =
75-power=20
magnification Mars will look as large as the full moon to the =
naked=20
eye.<BR> Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August, =
Mars will=20
rise in the<BR>east at 10 p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m. But =
by the=20
end of<BR>August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at =
nightfall=20
and<BR>reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30 a.m.<BR>That's pretty =
convenient when it comes to seeing something that no human has seen in =
recorded=20
history.<BR>So mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars =
grow<BR>progressively brighter and brighter throughout the =
month.<BR>Share=20
with your children and grandchildren. No one alive =
today will=20
ever<BR>see this again.<BR></DIV></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML>
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