[meteorite-list] Mars event

From: Norm Lehrman <nlehrman_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Aug 3 22:48:42 2005
Message-ID: <20050804024839.618.qmail_at_web81008.mail.yahoo.com>

All,

I've been getting calls on this. Newspapers are
reporting that Mars will appear as large as the moon!
Note that the story Bob forwarded says:

"((At a modest 75-power magnification )) Mars will
look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. "

That first part is pretty important. The moon appears
about a half degree, or 1800 arc seconds wide, and
Mars is typically closer to 12 arc seconds. At best
during the coming period, Mars will reach about 25.1
arc seconds. Use a 75X scope and you get 25.1 X 75 =
1882.5; i.e., under 75 power magnification, Mars will
look about the naked eye size of the moon. Mars will
NOT "look as large as the full moon to the naked eye".

Cheers,
Norm http://TektiteSource.com


--- Bob Evans <bobe5531_at_comcast.net> wrote:

> Watch for Mars next month.
>
> 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 your children and grandchildren.
>
> NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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Received on Wed 03 Aug 2005 10:48:39 PM PDT