A recient post says that mars will be comming closer to earth sometime in August 2003 than it has been in thousands of years. And that with a 75 power telescope it will be as big as the moon. something that no living person will ever witness again. I say it’s a hoax. Wife says it came from the internet so it must be true. As Pilot said to Jesus, “what is truth?”
schonrock@maiil.com
Methinks you missed it big guy, by at least a week. If you want to play catch up, try www.skyandtelescope.com or www.heavens-above.com
I’ve been wrong before, but I think I remember this happening a little while ago.
From NASA:
>I say it’s a hoax.
Why? Based on what?
I must have been thinking of another, similar celestial event recently. I stand corrected.
Odd that they’re all in August. Is there anything to that? (Perhaps the month the Earth is farthest from the sun?)
It’s close, anyway. Earth’s aphelion is in early July.
Aug. 27 Mars will subtend about 25 arcseconds from Earth, so 75 power would put it at 75x25", or 31.25 arcminutes, just about the size of the moon, visually. It’s like pinching your fingers together at arm length, and separating them about 3/16 of an inch.
Mars and Earth end up on the same side of the Sun tegether every couple years, and every sixteen years or so (15 or 17), they’re much closer than usual. The difference between 8/27/03 and 9/22/88 or 8/12/71 are fairly small. My favorite “Mars thread”.