[WSWSS] Once In a Lifetime Celestial Event

[Neil Jessen]

Never again in your lifetime will the Red Planet be so spectacular.  This 
month, Earth is catching up with Mars, 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.  The encounter will culminate on August 27th when 
Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles 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 he naked eye.  Mars will be 
easy to spot.  At the beginning of August, Mars will rise in the east at 10 
p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.  But 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 12:30 a.m.  That's pretty convenient when it 
comes to seeing something that no human 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 with your 
children and grandchildren.  No one alive today will ever see this again.

73 & Enjoy,
Neil - N6VHF