Mars "Attack!" This August

The Red Planet (MARS) 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 year
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. By
August 27, 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.

NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS
PHENOMENA AGAIN.
So share this with your family, friends, children