# Mars **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 28, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/191374 "2003-07-28T04:49:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![schonrock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba8739/32.png) [@schonrock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/schonrock)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/191374/1 "2003-07-28T04:49:58Z")
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](mailto:schonrock@maiil.com) ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/191374/2 "2003-07-28T04:55:22Z")
Methinks you missed it big guy, by at least a week. If you want to play catch up, try [www.skyandtelescope.com](http://www.skyandtelescope.com) or [www.heavens-above.com](http://www.heavens-above.com) I’ve been wrong before, but I think I remember this happening a little while ago. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/191374/3 "2003-07-28T05:01:13Z")
From [NASA](http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2003/18jun_approachingmars.htm): > [@](#): > > Earth and Mars are rapidly converging. On August 27, 2003–the date of closest approach–the two worlds will be 56 million km apart. That’s a long way by Earth standards, but only a short distance on the scale of the solar system… > > Much has been made of the fact that the August 27th encounter with Mars is the closest in some 60,000 years. Neanderthals were the last to observe Mars so favorably placed. This is true. It’s also a bit of hype. Mars and Earth have been almost this close many times in recent history. > > Some examples: Aug. 23, 1924; Aug. 18, 1845; Aug. 13, 1766. In each case Mars and Earth were approximately 56 million km apart. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/191374/4 "2003-07-28T05:08:37Z")
\>I say it’s a hoax. Why? Based on what? ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/191374/5 "2003-07-28T05:11:40Z")
I must have been thinking of another, similar celestial event recently. I stand corrected. ---
**Author:** ![ryoushi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@ryoushi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryoushi)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/191374/6 "2003-07-28T06:06:38Z")
Odd that they’re all in August. Is there anything to that? (Perhaps the month the Earth is farthest from the sun?) ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/191374/7 "2003-07-28T06:20:24Z")
It’s close, anyway. Earth’s [aphelion](http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/EarthSeasons.html) is in early July. ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/191374/8 "2003-07-28T07:45:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by schonrock \* > \*\*And that with a 75 power telescope it will be as big as the moon. something that no living person will ever witness again. \*\* 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”.