Have anyone heard about seeing Mars all this month? In the night sky?

Question

I got an email from a family member stating that for this entire month that we can see the planet Mars in the night sky, On August 27 th, 2006 Mars will be at it's closes point, from what this e-mail says and I am wondering can anyone tell me where would be a really nice place to go and look for it?
I mean my family & I live in ILL near Chicago IL, and I am trying to find a place where we can go and see the planet that is like open and clear, we have never actually went star gazing before and since this is such an historial moment I don't want us to miss this, they say the next time that these two planets come this close to each other again will be like in 67,000,000 years. Any help that is offered here is very much appericated, I want my family to share this moment together, to share with future genarations to come.

Has anyone else heard about this, About Mars being so close to the earth, that you can see it with an naked eye, at certain times in the evening all this month?

Answer 1

No, Mars will not be like that.

In fact, by the end of this month, you won't even be able to see Mars in the night sky.

BUT that doesn't mean you shouldn't look at the stars. Look at that email as an invitation to try something you haven't done. There is still plenty to see in the month of August, even a metor shower (although the moon will be nearly full then so it will be more difficult to see). In fact, every month there is something to see.

Look at some websites, such as those I used for sources on Mars, or check at a planetarium. I know Chicago has a very nice one, I'm sure they have many great programs, check them out!

Answer 2

Mars came closer to Earth on August 27th, 2003 than it has come in ~54,000 years, and thus an evil rumor has abounded that it will do this every August since then, but this is totally false. Mars is currently visible in the evening sky just before sunset but it is very faint and it is on the other side of the solar system from us at present, soon to disappear behind the sun. It will come somewhat close to Earth again in December, 2007, but not nearly as close as 2003, or 2005 for that matter. It comes "close to Earth" every 2.2 years, but some close approaches are alot closer than others. The next really close approach will not be until 2018, but even then it will not be as close as 2003. You will have to wait another 54,000 years for that. Or another way to see Mars up close is to actually go there to visit, which NASA plans to do in ~2020 or so. For a really good nuts and bolts engineering discussion for the layman on an actual trip to Mars, I highly recommend the book "The Case for Mars" by Dr Robert Zubrin, PhD, available on Amazon and in many local bookstores.

Answer 3

Mars has been seen in the evening sky for weeks now asit could be for numerous better months. August 27th is referred to easily because of fact it is the closest techniques-set between Earth and Mars in this bypass around. In approximately 24-26 months they're going to bypass paths returned and Mars' brightness will returned be at a optimal for the cycle. undergo in techniques, that by ability of ability of optimal I recommend that it will look like a vivid action photograph action picture star to the bare eye. it is going to look like a tiny purple ball with 10x50 binoculars, and with a telescope a powerful observer could be waiting to make out some advantageous aspects on it floor. At no time will Mars or any planet outshine the moon, the moon will continually be the nicely-universal factor we see in the sky because of fact it is so close.

Answer 4

Mars is often visible with the naked eye at night -- you just have to know where to look. But it won't look like what you expect. It will simply appear to be a reddish star and even the color won't really be all that apparent.

But not this month. Check the link below for viewing of Mars this month. Sorry!

Answer 5

YOU CANT ACTUALLY SEE WHAT YOU THINK YOU GOING TO SEE. ITS STILL GOING TO BE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY. ITS WILL ONLY LOOK LIKE AN ORANGE STAR. GET A TELESCOPE. GET OUT OF TOWN ABOUT 30 MILES AND WATCH. NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. ITS NOT HISTORICAL. GET OVER IT. THIS AHS GOT TO BE THE 134653257613613654th QUESTION ABOUT THIS ALL DAY. FOR THE NEXT 500,000 YEARS YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE MARS WITH THE NAKED EYE I DO IT ALL THE TIME THATS HOW I FIND IT WITH MY TELESCOPE. SORRY FOR THE CAPS BUT THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR AND I WANT YOU TO SEE IT. i know all about the solar system. i know all. seriously. no joke. i know a lot about it.

Answer 6

Get away from city lights this summer and look overhead on a clear, moonless night, especially with binoculars. What you see will be one of the greatest wonders that our corner of the universe has to offer!

Answer 7

Its a HOAX
it really happened in 2003....and then you could only see it as big as the moon if you had a telecope

I also got this E-mail and was very excited!!
Check this site!

Answer 8

i got an email too just forgot the date but thanks for reminding. We'll find out if we can see it on 27th. Its supposed to be seen anywhere so i guess just go to open ground where you have the most sky view.

Answer 9

i got that same e-mail a while ago. ive seen it from a very far distance with a telescope. but no one has seen it this close in aa loooonnnngggg time!! im excited.