No, I am not kidding. You might impress the heck outaa your kids and grandkids..
Thought you all might be interested in this one:
MARS SPECTACULAR!
The Red Planet is about to be 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 see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month.
Share this with your children and grandchildren. NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL
EVER SEE THIS AGAIN
HB
Thought you all might be interested in this one:
MARS SPECTACULAR!
The Red Planet is about to be 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 see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month.
Share this with your children and grandchildren. NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL
EVER SEE THIS AGAIN
HB
