# Mars! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 14, 2003, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092 "2003-08-14T04:58:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/1 "2003-08-14T04:58:59Z")
[http://www.planetary.org/marswatch2003/marsday.html](http://www.planetary.org/marswatch2003/marsday.html) quote: **On August 27, the planet Mars will be closer to Earth than it has been in more than 50,000 years. To celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime event, The Planetary Society is declaring to the world that August 27, 2003 be Mars Day.** end quote. This subject was broached before, and resulted in the poster being banned for lifting copyrighted material. I think the subject deserves another thread – I just walked outside and witnessed Mars. She is quite beautiful, I tell you. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/2 "2003-08-14T08:16:26Z")
très 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![sidle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@sidle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidle)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/3 "2003-08-14T12:39:56Z")
I think I saw Mars at 4 am. Saw something, very yellow, non-twinkling and brighter than any other star in the sky, below and to the right of the moon? ---
**Author:** ![Verick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ea666f/32.png) [@Verick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Verick)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/4 "2003-08-14T13:50:26Z")
It’s the end of the world! Really it is, look it up 😛 ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/5 "2003-08-14T23:42:20Z")
I thought Mars literally looked red, not yellow… ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/6 "2003-08-15T01:45:20Z")
I’ve been watching it through a telescope, & I’ve notice strange eruptions of gas coming from the planet. Ogilve and Stent, at the Royal Observatory agrees that it may be volcanic action. That silly Wells fellow has another theory… ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/7 "2003-08-15T03:58:38Z")
The odd thing is…my thread disappeared last night and re-appeared today. Hmm. **sidle** , yep, it’s on the right side of the moon. ---
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/8 "2003-08-15T04:02:36Z")
How clearly can Mars be seen through the naked eye where you guys live? ---
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/9 "2003-08-15T04:08:08Z")
(forgot to add…) 'coz I don’t think I’ll have a chance to see it from where I am. ---
**Author:** ![Orange\_Skinner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3be4f8/32.png) [@Orange\_Skinner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orange_Skinner)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/10 "2003-08-15T04:08:24Z")
I’m from North Eastern Ohio, we can see Mars quite well. It a good bit larger than a star, and is a warm, reddish-orange color. Very pretty. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/11 "2003-08-15T04:15:24Z")
Yeah, I looked ar Mars when I went to get the mail. ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/12 "2003-08-15T04:20:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by green\_bladder \* > \*\*(forgot to add…) 'coz I don’t think I’ll have a chance to see it from where I am. \*\* It is VERY clear as a beautiful yellow/orange star by our moon. Amazing, and the only time we will ever witness the sight (the next passing is waayyy out there). ---
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/13 "2003-08-15T04:21:07Z")
Wow, that’s pretty impressive. I’ll be on the lookout tonight. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/14 "2003-08-15T08:07:30Z")
I’ve seen Mars before, and I know what it looks like, but… _Who put that humungous pink jewel in the sky last night?_ :eek: :eek: :eek: Hoping for some more clear skies now that I’ve remembered where I put my binoculars. I mean, I’ve known for years that Mars can _occasionally_ outshine Jupiter, but actually _seeing_ it… and if I hadn’t happened to see the Moon shining in through the glass door just before going to bed, I probably wouldn’t even have stepped out for a look. Wow! 🙂 It’s enough to make me homesick. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/15 "2003-08-16T23:54:06Z")
I’m bumping this thread – reminding everyone to walk out your front door tonight and look to the right of the moon, Mars awaits. But, if you don’t get a chance to see her - not to worry, she’ll be around again in a few thousand years. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/16 "2003-08-17T00:44:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by green\_bladder \* > \*\*(forgot to add…) 'coz I don’t think I’ll have a chance to see it from where I am. \*\* **green\_bladder** , where are you? I can’t imagine where you’d be where it wouldn’t be visible, unless you’re in maximum security, or possibly northern Siberia… As for me, I’m off to a star party! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/17 "2003-08-17T01:59:21Z")
Just FYI, altho it is the brightest in ~60,000 years, its only like 1% brighter than the last time it was close (~10? ~20? years ago) I did take out my 8 inch Orion deep space explorter last night. probably 45min or so total viewing, mostly at 122x. Tried different filters too. Definitely made out the polar cap. May have made out other features or may have been my imagination. Brian ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/18 "2003-08-17T03:33:27Z")
Are the canals visible? Those gas explosions sound like something sinister! perhaps we are in for a surprise! ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/19 "2003-08-17T04:31:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ralph124c \* > \*\*Are the canals visible? Those gas explosions sound like something sinister! perhaps we are in for a surprise! \*\* We can only hope. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092/20 "2003-08-17T05:08:28Z")
Just got back from the star party. About 50 or so people and 9 or 10 scopes, including my 4.5" reflector dob. Lots of great views. One guy had a scope magnifying at 340x - and it still looked good and bright! Another one had a similar scope pumping the image out to a hi-resolution closed circuit TV. By the way, if you’ve got a good enough view to see surface features, check [here](http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/article_997_1.asp) on the Sky and Telescope magazine web site for a neat little JavaScript widget that shows you what part of Mars you’re looking at. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars/195092.md?page=2)