I have an e-mail that tells me this is supposed to happen over the month of August and the planet will be at it's closest to earth by the end of the August. It is likely that it will not happen again for another 5,000 to 60,000 years. I have a good telescope and wouldn't mind seeing something that no other people in recorded history has seen.
2006-07-11 14:38:29 · 13 answers · asked by strmguru 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
As others have stated, August of 2003 marked the closest point between Mars and Earth in many thousands of years. Even with my $4,000 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope Mars can be a difficult object to observe at the best of times. Of course, this type of telescope is better for observing deep-sky objects like galaxies, nebulas and star clusters, than for planetary observing.
I'd recommend a large, less expensive Dobsonian type telescope. There are a number of excellent astronomy computer programs available that will tell you what is in your viewing area at any specific time and can also tell you when a particular object (such as Mars) makes it's closest approach to Earth on any given year. Two of the better programs are The Sky and Starry Night. Both offer different program levels, with the more detail costing considerably more money, though the lower levels are relatively inexpensive and are good for beginners.
2006-07-11 23:10:45 · answer #1 · answered by Knight Errant 2 · 7⤊ 2⤋
The orbits of our planets are complex, but it's not so hard to envision when broken down into parts and sprinkled with sports analogies. I read an article by Myles Standish, an expert on planetary orbits at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on space.com to get a better understanding myself.
Okay...we know that the Earth is closer to the sun than Mars, right? So, that being the case, the earth must move around the sun more quickly than Mars. Still with me? It takes Earth 365 days to go around the Sun once, but it takes Mars 687 days.
Right now, Earth is catching up with Mars each day, like a runner on the inside lane going into a turn and moving ahead of another runner. When this happens, Earth and Mars will be on the same side of the Sun, with all three bodies lined up in a row.
Okay, now take this into consideration...both the Earth and Mars have elliptical orbits...in other words, they are at different distances from the sun at different times of the year.
What is going to happen this August...well, as the Earth, Mars and Sun all line up, the Earth will be at it's farthest from the sun, and Mars will be at it's closest to the sun. Hence, they are at there closest...as a matter of fact, they are closer than they have been for 73,000 years.
It should be quite a sight...get your scope and go for it!!
2006-07-11 22:03:45 · answer #2 · answered by Lisa S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All the big who-ha about Mars close approach is hogwash unless you have a really big telescope. It is a relatively small planet and at its closest it is still difficult to make out any detail on it with any telescope that most of us could afford.
Also, planets are really difficult to photograph - you need a fairly long exposure and consequently the motions in the atmosphere will ruin the shot, not to mention that you need a good star drive to keep your telescope on track.
If you want really good shots of Mars go to the NASA site and do a search. The shots taken from the various NASA probes are incredible - canyons, mountains, dried river beds. Nothing you could do from Earth, even with the largest telescopes would ever come close to the view from the Mars probes.
Trust me - before probes went to the planets, photos of planets even from the largest telescopes were poor. So, how in the name of the cosmos do you think your backyard telescopes are going to see anything startling of Mars, even at its nearest.
Sorry to disappoint.
2006-07-11 22:39:16 · answer #3 · answered by nick s 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You've been misinformed. Back on August 27, 2003, Mars came within 34.65-million miles of Earth. That's the closest it's been in some 50,000 years.
The next very close approach won't occur untill the year 2287
2006-07-12 02:16:34 · answer #4 · answered by Chug-a-Lug 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You missed it . It happened already That happened in 2003
"August of 2003 is a special time for scientists and amateur astronomers. Our red neighbor, Mars will move closer than it’s been in 50,000 years. On August 27, 2003, the “red planet” will be less than 55.76 million kilometers (34.65 million miles) away from the Earth."
2006-07-11 22:04:09 · answer #5 · answered by Dr M 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not into anything like this but now I've just decided that it seems like something I'd like to learn more about.
If you are able to view this happening would it be at all possible to take a picture and put it on the Internet for people like me who would really enjoy seeing this happen and for people like me who never gave it a thought but now are interested in it along with seeing it too.
If this is a true fact and will happen just think about the history behind it and the history that lies ahead of it in the future too.
Hope you get the best seat in the house and are able to take pictures of it happening too.
2006-07-11 21:46:41 · answer #6 · answered by fedupmoma 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm afraid I have bad news. Its closest approach is indeed August, but not August of this year, Mars made its closest approach on August 27, 2003, so it was 3 years ago.
2006-07-11 21:45:21 · answer #7 · answered by Science_Guy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do a google search on it. It happened in Aug. 2003. Then again in Oct 2005 (but not as close). Every year there are hoax emails saying it's this year.
2006-07-11 21:43:32 · answer #8 · answered by cw 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
LOL, I've seen this one, too. The one where it says it'll look as big as the moon, right? Absolutely rediculous.
2006-07-11 22:07:01 · answer #9 · answered by tkron31 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am sorry I knew about it but it happened already it was a big disapointment for me because it was cloudy
2006-07-12 02:11:45 · answer #10 · answered by hkyboy96 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋