For the costuming-inclined, call it astronomical costuming?
Until later--
Carole
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Carol Christensen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:43:02 PM US/Pacific
The Red Planet is about to turn 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, 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 watch
Mars
grow progressively brighter throughout the month.
No one currently alive will ever see this again!
