packinair

Better get the tin foil hats out



The Red Planet is about to be spectacular! 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 10 p.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 12:30 a.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.

packinair

I saw that the other day.. kinda freaky

glassdave

iTrader: (1)

uhh . . i hit that link . . . am i missing somthing

eMotiondriver

Look at it and move your eyes around a little.

Roger 1

Make them stop.

Growler

its the view from the top of the spent fuel rods tank at the North Korean nuclear plant.

Steve 1

A liberals Brain on Crack.

Steve 1

Cat
I stopped racing (UIM) in the late 90's A friend got killed in front of me..

BTW what have you ever done?? Anything or just talk??

CigDaze

Cool. I'll be watching. Maybe the Binocs will be enough. Perhaps, I'll see the fabled right-wing Martian resort where they conjure up all the conspiracies.

Those damn swirlies have my eyes all screwed up now!