Posted: 6/14/2005 4:42 PM
Post subject: March very close to earth in August!
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Highness
Player (71)
Joined: 8/24/2004
Posts: 2562
Location: Sweden
I received this from a friend. Seems cool. I'll be checking it out. >Subject: Red Planet encounter >Date: Sun, 12 Jun 2005 19:03:44 -0400 > > >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 others . NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN >
Posted: 6/14/2005 4:50 PM
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Walker_Boh
Former player
Joined: 4/16/2004
Posts: 1276
Location: Uppsala, Sweden
Cool indeed. But how does he know it's true for real? I don't doubt it actually but I've also received mails that claims my life will end if I don't send it to 10 other people =). Regardless, this is awesome!
/Walker Boh
Posted: 6/14/2005 4:54 PM
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Bisqwit
Editor, Active player (297)
Joined: 3/8/2004
Posts: 7469
Location: Arzareth
First of all, it's Mars, not March. Second of all, you're two years late. In simplest terms, you've just became a victim of a circulating urban legend. http://www.snopes.com/science/mars.asp Edit: Having seen it, I must say it was exciting. I first noticed the very noticeably red-tinted star, which I wondered if it's Mars, before actually hearing about this news. I liked watching it for a week or two. But indeed, it was news 2 years ago. Now it's gone. :) Relevant quote of hour:
TNSe wrote:
> Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. bullshittus articlus if that was true then mars would be about 8x the distance from earth compared to moon and in that case nasa would be jumping in their space shuttles already
Posted: 6/15/2005 8:04 AM
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Bag_of_Magic_Food
He/Him
Player (206)
Joined: 5/29/2004
Posts: 5712
March isn't as close to the ground in August as you might think! It still has to get through April, May, June, and July first.
put yourself in my rocketpack if that poochie is one outrageous dude
Posted: 6/15/2005 9:38 AM
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Highness
Player (71)
Joined: 8/24/2004
Posts: 2562
Location: Sweden
ROFL! Damn. Thats true Bisqwit. I was watching the same thing a couple of years ago, now that you mention it. :D I didn't look for more info about it as my friend posted it to me. Sorry for the typo as well. March, Mars, Marsh. Hehe.. Same thing... NOT. :)
Posted: 6/15/2005 3:51 PM
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feitclub
Former player
Joined: 3/13/2004
Posts: 1118
Location: Kansai, JAPAN
The good news is you can still see Mars this fall (not August), although it will be 20% smaller than it was in 2003 when this notice first circulated.
Do Not Talk About Feitclub http://www.feitclub.com