A friend of mine has just sent me these details:
Guys,
If Mars gets as big as the Moon, it'll be a real, once in a liftime treat!
->
>
> 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
>
>
Look out for Mars on 27 August!
Look out for Mars on 27 August!
It's a nice idea but no. It'll look like it always does but brighter than usual. Still a dot to the naked eye. Still reddish.
Ah... I just worked out what you did wrong, John. It should be one sentence - "At a modest 75-power magnification, Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye."
My binoculars are a modest 8x magnification. What on earth do you have that will achieve 75 times?
Ah... I just worked out what you did wrong, John. It should be one sentence - "At a modest 75-power magnification, Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye."
My binoculars are a modest 8x magnification. What on earth do you have that will achieve 75 times?
Nullius in verba ... ☎||||||||||| ... To Fate I sue, of other means bereft, the only refuge for the wretched left.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
Look out for Mars on 27 August!
The Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank should do the trick! 
Look out for Mars on 27 August!
Sorry, I posted something silly here but there's no delete button. Excuse me.
Nullius in verba ... ☎||||||||||| ... To Fate I sue, of other means bereft, the only refuge for the wretched left.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.