# This month, Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 9, 2013, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775 "2013-08-09T02:08:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/1 "2013-08-09T02:08:45Z")
I know this is true, because my mum sent me a PowerPoint presentation depicting it all. Wow. I’m really excited. I wonder how the oceans will behave? Oh, and it won’t happen again until 2287, so on August 27, make sure you look skyward. Honest to God. She really is an intelligent lady. How do critically-thinking people even begin to entertain such a thought? ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/2 "2013-08-09T02:13:45Z")
this is fake > **[Is a 'Mars Spectacular' Coming Soon?](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mars-spectacular/)** > > The planet Mars not be making a once-in-our-lifetimes, remarkably close approach to Earth on August 27. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/3 "2013-08-09T02:16:47Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > this is fake > > [Is a 'Mars Spectacular' Coming Soon? | Snopes.com](http://www.snopes.com/science/astronomy/brightmars.asp) You don’t say? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/4 "2013-08-09T02:18:31Z")
Actually, your mom is 3 years late. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/5 "2013-08-09T02:19:49Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > this is fake > > [Is a 'Mars Spectacular' Coming Soon? | Snopes.com](http://www.snopes.com/science/astronomy/brightmars.asp) Did you even read the OP? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/6 "2013-08-09T02:25:56Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Actually, your mom is 3 years late. Yeah, I know it’s been around for a while. But mum? Mum! What are you thinking? ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/7 "2013-08-09T03:15:48Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > this is fake > > [Is a 'Mars Spectacular' Coming Soon? | Snopes.com](http://www.snopes.com/science/astronomy/brightmars.asp) I love you PSXer. \<3 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/8 "2013-08-09T03:58:59Z")
It all looks fine to the naked eye. But it don’t really happen that way at all. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/9 "2013-08-09T04:16:00Z")
I can, however, see Uranus quite clearly tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/10 "2013-08-09T04:38:42Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I can, however, see Uranus quite clearly tonight. Are you sure you can see Uranus quite clearly tonight and it’s not just a big Moon? ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/11 "2013-08-09T06:13:56Z")
There are people who think that this Mars thing happens every year. (When in reality, it never actually happened at all.) ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/12 "2013-08-09T06:37:49Z")
[QUOTE=OP’s mum] this is real [http://link.to.powerpoint.presentation](http://link.to.powerpoint.presentation) [/QUOTE] … ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/13 "2013-08-09T06:51:46Z")
Wait…why is my eye _naked_? I bought it the damn eyepatch and it damn well wear it! I bought you that eyepatch, missie! You’ll damn well wear it! \ ‘But MOOOOMMMMMM! All the other girls eyepatches are purple!’ What other girls? There are two of you! ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/14 "2013-08-09T08:21:39Z")
> [@BrassyPhrase](#): > > Wait…why is my eye _naked_? I bought it the damn eyepatch and it damn well wear it! > > I bought you that eyepatch, missie! You’ll damn well wear it! \ ‘But MOOOOMMMMMM! All the other girls eyepatches are purple!’ What other girls? There are two of you! If what a friend of mine refers to as “the girls” are naked, then I’m all for it. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/15 "2013-08-09T10:02:21Z")
From the Snopes link: _“This will cultivate on Aug. 27 when Mars comes within 34.65M miles off earth.”_ Does that mean that it will affect the harvest? ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/16 "2013-08-09T11:40:17Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > Does that mean that it will affect the harvest? Well, if enough farmers are surfing Facebook glurg all day instead of bringing in their cash crop, I suppose its possible. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/17 "2013-08-09T12:38:43Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > Did you even read the OP? Apparently not, which is strange because the smoke up his ass came for free. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/18 "2013-08-09T12:59:57Z")
Who cares how the oceans will behave. Will the gravitational pull of Mars make me ten pounds lighter without dieting? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/19 "2013-08-09T14:34:12Z")
Wait, it MUST be true that mars is going to be big, because this month has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays, a special calendar event that only occurs once every 823 years - this is called “money bags” and if you share this with all your friends now, you will receive money within 4 days! ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775/20 "2013-08-09T15:13:03Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > Well, if enough farmers are surfing Facebook glurg all day instead of bringing in their cash crop, I suppose its possible. Farmville has much to answer for ☹ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-month-mars-will-look-as-large-as-the-full-moon-to-the-naked-eye/665775.md?page=2)