Any truth to this?

Question

This email is circulating around the internet. Is it true or just won of the many hoaxes we all get in emails?

Two moons on August 27, 2007

*27th Aug the Whole World is waiting for.............*


Planet Mars will be the brightest in the night sky
starting August.

It will look as large as the full moon to the naked
eye. This will cultminate on Aug. 27 when Mars comes
within 34.65M miles of earth. Be sure to watch the sky
on Aug. 27 12:30 am . It will look like the earth has
2 moons. The next time Mars may come this close is in
2287.

Share this with your friends as NO ONE ALIVE TODAY
will ever see it again.

Answer 1

False.

This started from the opposition of Mars which took place a few years ago (in August 2003) and where the wording, on a popular web site, was: Mars seen in a telescope will be as big as the Moon seen with the naked eye.
At the time (2003) the apparent diameter of Mars was 25" (twenty five arc-seconds, where one arc-second is 1/3600 of a degree). This was still about 70 times smaller than the Moon (which has an apparent diameter a little above 30', thirty arc-MINUTES; it takes 60 arc-seconds to make one arc-minute).

Since that year, some people have taken the message, changed the year, and send it around every year near August. It is a hoax.

For one thing, Mars will NEVER appear as big as the Moon. Also, in August this year, Mars is not even close to opposition. That will be in December 2007.

Apparent diameter of Mars in August 2007 : 7"
Apparent diameter of Mars in December 07: 16"
Apparent diameter of Full Moon (average): 1800"

So Mars will not be (never was, never will be) as large as the Moon.

Answer 2

Here is the origin of your story:

On August 27, 2003, Mars came closer to Earth than at any other time in the last 50,000 years. While it was technically closer than usual, it was only about 1% closer, so the difference was not that important. Someone reported that you should be able to see it with a back yard telescope about as well as people can see the Moon without a telescope.

This got incorrectly reported by the TV and papers as if Mars would appear in our sky as big as the moon.

This story have been repeated every August ever since.

Answer 3

Nope, this is completely inaccurate as stated, and bears only the slightest connection to any legitimate information. Mars did make a close approach to Earth four years ago, with optimum visibility on August 27, 2003. But Mars only appeared the size of a full moon if you were observing it with a 75-power magnification; the information about needing a telescope to see Mars at this size was carelessly dropped when the report was reproduced, and the inaccurate version has reappeared every summer since then.

Answer 4

No when I think of a reliable information source, I definitely trust the internet. Th answer is no.

A few years ago, a telescope maker who makes their scopes out of paper towel rolls advertised that with their fantastic scope on a few nights in August when Mars was close that Mars could be seen the size of the moon.

The company folded. Unfortunately, people believe everything they read here so the ignorance is still allive.

Answer 5

Mars would have to completely move out of it's orbit to appear as big as the moon.

Answer 6

Short answer: Nope, not true.

You'll see it, and it will appear brilliant, but.... it would have to be about 600X closer to appear the same size as the moon.

Answer 7

sadly this was repeated last year, and the year before... and every single year people fall for it. even when mars was close to us this wasn't true, do not pass on that e-mail, and inform whoever sent it to you that its hogwash

Answer 8

This is false, Mars is very far away:

http://www.patricksemaan.com/projektcyan/?p=91

Answer 9

Complete and utter garbage, forwarded by fools who don't have a clue.

Answer 10

No. No truth to it at all.