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Author
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Topic: Scatbug's attempt at snatchin the geek crown!
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scatbug
Knowflake Posts: 82
From:
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted August 04, 2003 09:45 AM
 
hey y'all saw this this mornin in my email. my dad sends me all kinds of stuff like this."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 "
so come one come all its tiime to go out and watch mars try to attack us :-P hehehe but seriously tho this sounds pretty neat, i know corri and i are gonna be watchin it :-D
IP: Logged |
Aphrodite
Knowflake Posts: 4992
From:
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted August 04, 2003 10:01 AM
Awesome ScatbugIP: Logged |
proxieme
unregistered
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posted August 04, 2003 11:38 AM
Noooooo!
You have taken it!
Bah!
Curses! Foiled again!*crumples in abject humiliation* OK, naw, that's cool - as long as I can be a part of your new Geeky Throneship by gazing at it w/ you.  IP: Logged |
lioneye68
Knowflake Posts: 6062
From: Canada
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted August 04, 2003 08:27 PM
I was lookin at it just last night. It's to the south-east up here, and you can't miss it cuz it's RED! Cool, cool, cool. Thank God it's in Pisces, the least aggressive sign, or I think we'd all be goners! (Hey. Maybe that's why all the heated discussions about the existence of God lately, nah?) Hmm. (insert pacing cat >here< - the one that Prox uses sometimes) Oh oh. Anyone know when it moves into Aries???  Ok, now I'm concerned. I think it's time to move to the mountains and become a recluse like I keep threatening. IP: Logged |
scatbug
Knowflake Posts: 82
From:
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted August 05, 2003 12:07 AM
mars is attacking! mars is attacking!IP: Logged |
proxieme
unregistered
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posted August 05, 2003 12:16 AM
No need to hide, lioneye, it moves into Aries after Mars moves out of being retro:
http://www.astro.com/swisseph/ae/mars1999.pdf (Dec. 16th, I think it says.
...although there's some veeerrry interestink stuff going on roun' 'bout Aug 27th/28th.)  <---Pacing Felix
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Ra
Moderator Posts: 2078
From: Atlanta
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted August 05, 2003 01:28 PM
Ah, Mars.Love that little mysterious planet!  IP: Logged |
Lindaland
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