Seeing Mars with the Naked Eye in August?

[sabens]

I was sent the following email by a co-worker. I have searched all over the web for confirmation of this, but haven't found anything. Does anyone else know about this and is it true?<br /><br />Email I was sent:<br /><br />MARS SPECTACULAR!<br /><br />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 hasnot 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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />Share this with your children and grandchildren.<br /><br />NOONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN<br /><br />Thank you

 

[rhodan]

The closest approach was in (August?) 2003 I believe, so this e-mail may be a bit dated.

 

[jcdenton]

Refer to this thread. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[iron_sun_254]

Well, I saw it... and it was spectacular!

 

[iron_sun_254]

And for reference sake, you can pretty much always see Mars with the naked eye except when it's to close to the Sun or when the sky isn't clear.

 

[vogon13]

{bump} <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[acid]

yes there is a topic about this all ready some is true some is not here is a website to read http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/07jul_marshoax.htm<br />Although closest approach is still months away, Mars is already conspicuous in the early morning. Before the sun comes up, it's the brightest object in the eastern sky, really eye-catching. If you have a telescope, even a small one, point it at Mars. You can see the bright icy South Polar Cap and strange dark markings on the planet's surface. Sixty-nine million km is good. At that distance, Mars shines brighter than anything else in the sky except the Sun, the Moon and Venus. The visual magnitude of Mars on Oct. 30, 2005, will be -2.3. Even inattentive sky watchers will notice it, rising at sundown and soaring overhead at midnight.<br /><br />You might remember another encounter with Mars, about two years ago, on August 27, 2003. That was the closest in recorded history, by a whisker, and millions of people watched as the distance between Mars and Earth shrunk to 56 million km. This October's encounter, at 69 million km, is similar. To casual observers, Mars will seem about as bright and beautiful in 2005 as it was in 2003.<br />

 

[deluxe1668]

I post the same question earlier. And i found also it was a hoax. It happened 3 yrs ago!! Someone want to make us watch the sky all night with nothing i guess... <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" />

 

[azimuth_210]

I understand that this post about seeing Mars in August 2005 may be a bit dated, but I have heard that this is a possibility too. I am truly wondering if there is ANY truth to seeing Mars in 2005?

 

[lunatio_gordin]

Mars is visible in october. It's pretty close, but not Full moon sized.

 

[azimuth_210]

Well, I just read the NASA post...thanks for the posting this thread. Well, I will just wait til October...or get up pretty early instead!