[Vision2020] Mars: Red Planet of War

[Tami Stinebaugh]

Being that between midnight and 3 am I am often dead asleep, seeing this will take some planning on my part:)  I'm thinking a camping trip mid August might be a good time to view Mars.  I'll probably even let the kids stay up for this one;)

Tami Stinebaugh

----- Original Message -----
From: Ted Moffett <ted_moffett@hotmail.com>
Date: Thursday, July 31, 2003 4:22 pm
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Mars: Red Planet of War

> 
> Tami, et. al.
> 
> Ah, modern humanity and the separation from nature.
> 
> The most cursory glance at the night sky recently from 12 midnight 
> till 3 AM 
> reveals the bright red planet of war hanging in the southeast to 
> southern 
> sky on the Palouse.  It is very bright now compared to how Mars 
> usually 
> appears.
> 
> As your report indicates, the show will just get better in August.
> 
> But get away from the city lights to view Mars.  City light 
> pollution 
> destroys sky watching.  10 miles away from Moscow or Pullman at 
> least is 
> required, further than 10 miles away if you live in Lewiston or 
> Clarkston.
> It is so sad to consider that many children growing up in major 
> urban areas 
> never or rarely get to wonder at the star dusted night sky as it 
> appears 
> without light pollution.  I've heard stories of children who first 
> venture 
> into "wilderness" being frightened by what they see for the first 
> time in 
> the sky.
> 
> Ted
> 
> 
> 
> >From: Tami Stinebaugh <stin1624@uidaho.edu>
> >To: "upbeatapr00@yahoogroups.com" <upbeatapr00@yahoogroups.com>,  
> Matthew 
> >Stinebaugh <mstinebaugh@latah.id.us>,   moscow vision2020 
> ><vision2020@moscow.com>
> >Subject: [Vision2020] mars
> >Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2003 15:25:57 -0700
> >
> >I had this information forwarded to me and thought I'd spread it 
> along for 
> >those who haven't heard it yet.
> >
> >http://www.snopes.com/science/mars.asp
> >
> >Tami Stinebaugh
> >
> >
> >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
> >
> >
> >
> >_____________________________________________________
> >  List services made available by First Step Internet,
> >  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
> >                http://www.fsr.net
> >           Vision2020@moscow.com
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