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Mars Set to Make Closest Approach to Earth in 11 Years
abc News on Yahoo ^ | 5/26/16 | Alyssa Newcomb - abc News

Posted on 05/28/2016 1:22:57 PM PDT by NormsRevenge

If Martians exist, they'll be closer to Earth on Memorial Day than they have been in 11 years.

This Monday, around 5:34 p.m. EDT, when many Americans may be enjoying a holiday barbecue, the Red Planet will be the closest it has been to Earth in more than a decade, coming within 46.8 million miles, according to NASA. The relatively close encounter with Earth comes a week after the Martian opposition, when Mars and the sun lined up on exact opposite sides of the Earth.

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Chit/Chat; Outdoors; Science
KEYWORDS: approach; astronomy; closest; earth; mars; redplanet
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To: ETL

> But plasma is not electromagnetic. It’s ionized gas.

Ions are electrically charged particles... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion

... and plasma is an excellent conductor of electricity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_resistivity_and_conductivity#Plasma

“For many purposes, the conductivity of a plasma may be treated as infinite.”


41 posted on 05/29/2016 1:44:00 AM PDT by thoughtomator
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To: ETL

also plasma is not a gas, it’s a distinct form of matter different from a gas

four states of matter exist: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma


42 posted on 05/29/2016 1:44:57 AM PDT by thoughtomator
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To: huldah1776

It’s called “Droid Sky View”.


43 posted on 05/29/2016 4:07:52 AM PDT by GeorgiaDawg32 (www.greenhornshooting.com - Professional handgun training.)
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To: thoughtomator
“Many places teach that there are three states of matter; solid, liquid and gas, but there are actually four. The fourth is plasma. To put it very simply, a plasma is an ionized gas, a gas into which sufficient energy is provided to free electrons from atoms or molecules and to allow both species, ions and electrons, to coexist.”

http://education.jlab.org/qa/plasma_01.html

44 posted on 05/29/2016 5:04:10 AM PDT by ETL (God help America...asap)
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To: thoughtomator
Re: But plasma is not electromagnetic. It’s ionized gas.

Ions are electrically charged particles

I know what ions are. But they are not the carriers of electromagnetism: photons are (visible light, UV, gamma rays, infrared, photons). Cosmic rays and solar wind particles consists of ions, not photons.

45 posted on 05/29/2016 5:04:10 AM PDT by ETL (God help America...asap)
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To: NormsRevenge

So what.


46 posted on 05/29/2016 5:07:47 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: NormsRevenge

I saw it last night. It was brightest object in sky..............


47 posted on 05/29/2016 6:47:30 AM PDT by Red Badger (WE DON'T NEED NO STEENKING TAGLINES!...........................)
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To: central_va

Because it’s particularly bright now and easy for anyone to see?


48 posted on 05/29/2016 7:16:39 AM PDT by ETL (God help America...asap)
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To: Red Badger
There are actually 3 planets visible around that time: Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

Jupiter is about halfway across the sky to the west from the other two and is bright white. It's a wee bit brighter than Mars at this time (minus 1.8 vs minus 1.9). Saturn is to the east of Mars and not nearly as bright. It's also yellowish.

Mars, Saturn, Antares at dusk, late May - early June 2016

Jupiter under Leo, late May - early June, 2016

Source: Sky & Telescope Magazine:
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/sky-at-a-glance/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-may-27-june-4/

49 posted on 05/29/2016 7:16:39 AM PDT by ETL (God help America...asap)
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To: thoughtomator; ETL

I see that you and ETL have continued the discussion, but I thought I’d pop back here. The idea of the plasma conduit opening at eight minute intervals back to the sun is new to me. I am going to guess it is a discharge of some sort to prevent the charges from getting out of whack. Your last link was dead. Maybe it gave some more answers.

Meanwhile, I will remain skeptical that the fact of Mars being closer to the earth is influencing earthquakes and volcanoes. The distances are just way too big. Although I do like your thinking - it would have to be something rather exotic.

Thanks for the conversation.


50 posted on 05/29/2016 8:09:10 AM PDT by T. P. Pole
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To: ETL

That phrase is technically incorrect. Plasma is not a gas. The use in that context is metaphorical.


51 posted on 05/29/2016 9:56:27 AM PDT by thoughtomator
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To: T. P. Pole

Check out the Electric Universe hypothesis. I find it compelling and supremely interesting... it really seems to de-mystify a lot of phenomena that are presently explained by various forms of pseudo-scientific mysticism (e.g. Big Bang, black holes, neutron stars, pulsars, dark matter/energy etc).


52 posted on 05/29/2016 10:53:41 AM PDT by thoughtomator
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To: NormsRevenge

Stunning from SE Maricopa County, AZ.
53 posted on 05/30/2016 2:51:18 PM PDT by SunLakesJeff (Thank you, St. Thomas More.)
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