Mars Closest To Earth In Nearly 60,000 Years

Ananova ^ | 8-13-2003

[blam]

Mars closest to Earth in nearly 60,000 years

The wandering of the planets is bringing Mars closer to Earth than at any time in nearly 60,000 years.

Just 34.6 million miles of space will separate the two planets on August 27.

Mars was five times as distant just six months ago, and won't be as close again until August 28, 2287.

Already, Mars has begun to loom large in the late evening sky, its rusty twinkle apparent in the south east.

Aldo Vitagliano, of the University of Naples in Italy, calculates that Mars has not had as close a brush with Earth since September 12, 57617 BC, when Neanderthals ruled but modern man had begun to make inroads.

The Red Planet will still seem small to the naked eye - having the apparent diameter of a small coin seen from 500 feet away. Even though Mars is twice the size of the moon, it will be 145 times as distant.

With binoculars or a telescope, observers can start to pick out details on the planet's surface. The view from even a modest telescope should reveal the planet's southern ice cap.

Next week, astronomers will send radio waves from antennas on Earth that will bounce off Mars to study the terrain where one of the two Nasa rovers is targeted to land in January.

The close proximity will improve the resolution of the radar images, says Albert Haldemann, deputy project scientist for the rover mission.

Planetariums around the world are planning Mars-gazing parties beginning on the evening of August 26, and the Hubble Space Telescope is expected to take a close-approach portrait of the planet.

[dr_lew]

Well, I'll just have to go out and buy myself a modest telescope.

I have a Meade model 60AZ-D that I bought at Walmart for $70. This is pretty much the bottom of the line. It has a 60mm objective ( refractor ) with 700mm focal length, and 3 eyepieces - 25mm, 12,5mm, and 4 mm. The 4mm eyepiece gives 700/4 = 175X magnification. Since Mars is about 1/75 the apparent size of the moon right now, I'm seeing it at twice the naked eye size of the moon - but you'd never guess it! The moon seems much bigger, subjectively.

However, if I take a toilet paper tube and look at the moon through this "null telescope," I can see that Mars is bigger. I can superimpose the TP tube field of view on my telescopic view of Mars by putting it over my other eye. It's a little smaller than the telescope field of view.

BTW, I can see the ice cap, and some suggestion of darkish features, but the contrast is very low. Tonight is very hazy, and this helps as it cuts down the brightness.

The worst thing about the telescope is the mount, which is shaky and hard to adjust. Paradoxically, you have to develop an "expert touch" to use this "beginner's scope", but it is usable.

[Fledermaus]

A good 4" diamater mirror scope will run you $250-300.

A really good set of binoculars about $200.

City lights won't be a problem.

[Fledermaus]

Yes, a 4" mirror telescope, or good binoculars, will let you see the southern ice caps.

http://www.space.com a great source

[Howlin]

Ooohhhh......this gives me a chance to post my all time favorite graphic:

[Fledermaus]

I read on space.com that it will be 34 million miles away from the Earth. Normally, and just six months ago, it was 160 million miles away.

[Fledermaus]

DROOOOOOOL!

I wish I had one of those.

[Captain Beyond]

How much does a set up like that cost? I'm looking to spend $300-500 bucks on a good telescope with computerized tracking. What would you recommend?

[Joe Hadenuf]

Meade ETX 90. They run about $495. I think. A fabulous starter scope, that can find objects on it's own, with a built in data base, punch in the coordinance on the key pad, and it will find it.

Don't get anything to big for a first scope. Make sure you are "into it" first before spending sizable bucks

[concentric circles]

Nice scope! Where do you park it for clear sky viewing?

I've spent some memorable nights atop Mt. Pinos. It's high enough to minimize the effect of atmospheric distortion caused by terra firma giving up the heat it absorbed during the day and well away from urban lights.

The summit is at 8800 feet while viewing locations accessible to cars are at about 8000 feet.

I'm afraid development is creeping closer and the spectacular viewing conditions are going to degrade rapidly.

[Ichneumon]

0.318 AU, more than half the average distance of closest approach

Yeah, ignore my last post, I see where I went wrong now. I was trying to take too many shortcuts in a back-of-the-envelope estimate. Among other things I calculated my percentage using Mars' orbit as unity instead of the average closest separation between the two planets, etc.

[Ichneumon]

A fabulous starter scope, that can find objects on it's own, with a built in data base, punch in the coordinance on the key pad, and it will find it.

Cool. How does it orient itself to start with?

[Joe Hadenuf]

We go to the desert and local mountains. The images on my profile were taken in suburbs believe it or not, but of course they were pretty bright targets. Not good images, but I plan on improving in the future.

[BJungNan]

It is definately worth a look. The meteor shower is pretty intense too. A couple hit right next to me. Alright, not that close. But close enough that I ducked.

[bonfire]

meteor showers tonight?

[BJungNan]

So they say. Looked like one when I looked up anyhow.

[Joe Hadenuf]

I think with that the ETX scope you align it by doing a one or two star initial alignment, or polar align it with the star Polaris to set it up. Newer larger models have GPS built in so the scope knows where it is when powered up. I have the older version, and need to polar align it if I plan on taking images. But for just observing, I just need to do a one or two star initial alignment.

[bonfire]

Thanks. Just did a google search and at 2am the shower peaks. Guess I'd better get out there!

[Consort]

[RadioAstronomer]

This is pretty much the bottom of the line. It has a 60mm objective ( refractor ) with 700mm focal length, and 3 eyepieces - 25mm, 12,5mm, and 4 mm.

Often a good pair of binoculars will serve you better. Especially the 60-80mm (or larger) ones with a tripod mount.

[RadioAstronomer]

I know its alot of reading, however, there are a couple of really good first telescope buying guides here.

http://dmoz.org/Science/Astronomy/Amateur/Beginners/