whos going to be looking for mars in the sky tonight? its going to be the closest its been in the last 60,000 years.
2007-12-24 08:33:12 · 12 answers · asked by Doctor Jones 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Mars is about 55 million miles away this year. In 2003 it was actually 20 million miles closer than now, which was trumpeted as the closest approach in thousand of years.
2007-12-24 08:50:17 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
Mars' closest point to Earth was December 18, when it was 88 million km away. Opposition and closest approach don't coincide because Mars has a noticeably elliptical orbit.
In 2003, Mars was closer than it is now (just over 55 million km) - that was the closest it had been in 60,000 years.
Mars shines brightest and remains visible all night when it reaches opposition December 24. It shines brighter than any star (only the Full Moon and Venus are brighter).
An opposition occurs when Mars lies opposite from the Sun, becoming fully illuminated. Mars' oppositions happen roughly every 780 days.
2007-12-24 16:58:17 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Mars is so last week. I'll probably look at it through my telescope just because it's unusual for it to be so close to the Moon. Mars has been so bright lately that I am kind of bored with it. Right now it is so close to the Moon that it blows out your night vision if you look at it. Saturn is the one that has my attention. At around 4-4:30 AM it is at its highest overhead, and its rings are tilted so you can see them very clearly even at under 200 power. In exactly two months it is at opposition, and will be at its closest approach to Earth in 2008, with little or no moonlight to interfere, and it will be overhead much earlier, around midnight.
2007-12-24 19:08:33 · answer #3 · answered by Me again 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it's not. It's the closest it's been in about TWO years. It was almost twice as close in August 2003. But still worth a look, tonight, or tomorrow night, or the next night...it will be big and bright for a couple of months.
2007-12-24 16:38:34 · answer #4 · answered by GeoffG 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Another falls to the hoax.
The closest approach was in 2003. Since then, every year, someone repeats the message (but changes the year).
In fact, this year is not that good an approach.
2007-12-24 17:44:33 · answer #5 · answered by Raymond 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
thats not true. it was at its closest about a month ago.
its still very very close and it will be back in the same position for about 9 years, and the last time it was here, was about 9 years ago too.
the moon is at its highest angle tonight and won't return to it until 2023
2007-12-24 16:53:33 · answer #6 · answered by Mercury 2010 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I am gonna be looking for Mars tonight.
2007-12-24 16:55:10 · answer #7 · answered by Tosha 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mars gets close to us every few years. I find it hard to believe it's any closer than it was a few years ago.
2007-12-24 16:36:18 · answer #8 · answered by eri 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Mà no saber Inglés.
Feliz Navidad.
2007-12-25 13:41:50 · answer #9 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Che, hablá en cristiano acá.
2007-12-26 22:06:43 · answer #10 · answered by Abi 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋