# Mars
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259
**Category:** SON240sx Off Topic
**Created:** [August 24, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259 "2005-08-24T15:51:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@240sxy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/240sxy)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/1 "2005-08-24T15:51:14Z")
Mars
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
---
### Author:  [@DTS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/DTS)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2005, 6:22pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/2 "2005-08-24T18:22:40Z")
ill be too busy playing dungeons and dragons in my basement to see this
---
### Author:  [@Gonad](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Gonad)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/3 "2005-08-24T18:24:16Z")
I think you should setup a script so it auto-posts stuff directly from your e-mail.
---
### Author:  [@Axlerod](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Axlerod)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/4 "2005-08-24T18:47:17Z")
> [@240sxy](#):
>
> Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.
Bullshit.
And Scott… my level 9 half elf fighter/ranger needs a workout… I’ll show up at your place around 10… with some cheetos.
---
### Author:  [@240sxy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/240sxy)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/5 "2005-08-24T20:55:55Z")
☹
be nice G
anyways im gona keep an eye out for this on the weekend
---
### Author:  [@Gonad](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Gonad)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/6 "2005-08-24T21:04:03Z")
My bro’s a hobbyist astronmer with several large telescopes and some CCD shit.
Might go see something :dunno:
---
### Author:  [@syd\_mysta](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/syd_mysta)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2005, 10:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/7 "2005-08-24T22:28:58Z")
I’ll be checking it out. Snap some pics too.
---
### Author:  [@Wiltzor](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Wiltzor)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2005, 11:36pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/8 "2005-08-24T23:36:00Z")
Thursday, August 25th.
'bout to run outside and take a gander.
---
### Author:  [@Wiltzor](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Wiltzor)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2005, 11:39pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/9 "2005-08-24T23:39:22Z")
nothin.
---
### Author:  [@Original\_Nutta](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Original_Nutta)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2005, 12:28am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/10 "2005-08-25T00:28:23Z")
I saw it last night, it stuck out so much. :shock:
Please let there be little green men behind all this. :noes: :fingersx:
---
### Author:  [@newbieracer](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newbieracer)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2005, 12:28am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/11 "2005-08-25T00:28:42Z")
My birthday is on the 27th, Woow i can see it now trippin out really drunk trying to figure out why there are 2 moons.
---
### Author:  [@syd\_mysta](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/syd_mysta)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2005, 9:20am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/12 "2005-08-25T09:20:59Z")
Yea I went out and looked too. It was bigger than all the stars. And was the second brightest thing next to the moon and right beside the moon. But it was no where near the size of the moon. I dunno how it will get so close to look the same size as the moon by Saturday.
---
### Author:  [@AnDrEw](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AnDrEw)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2005, 9:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/13 "2005-08-25T09:23:54Z")
I’ll be taking a peak at it thro my telescope on the weekend. Please let it be clear! If you have a good telescope you should get a great view of the polar ice caps. I don’t know at what angle mars is to us right now though.
Andrew.
---
### Author:  [@syd\_mysta](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/syd_mysta)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2005, 9:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/14 "2005-08-25T09:53:39Z")
Last night was uber clear should be the same tonite.
---
### Author:  [@Gonad](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Gonad)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2005, 10:05am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/15 "2005-08-25T10:05:52Z")
My bro’s got some 10" or 12" telescope (some high quality shit).
I’ve seen the ice caps and the valleys and shit before; pretty cool stuff.
Bastard is in Vancouver this week on business. :run:
---
### Author:  [@AnDrEw](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AnDrEw)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2005, 11:34am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/16 "2005-08-25T11:34:54Z")
> [@Gonad](#):
>
> My bro’s got some 10" or 12" telescope (some high quality shit).
>
> I’ve seen the ice caps and the valleys and shit before; pretty cool stuff.
>
> Bastard is in Vancouver this week on business. :run:
damn him. I have an 8" reflector on a dob mount.
Andrew
---
### Author:  [@Jesse\_Jericho](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jesse_Jericho)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2005, 1:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/17 "2005-08-25T13:26:52Z")
I got suckered by that email too…
> **[FALSE: Mars Close to Earth in August 2016](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mars-spectacular/)**
>
> The planet Mars not be making a once-in-our-lifetimes, remarkably close approach to Earth on 27 August 2016.
---
### Author:  [@Gonad](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Gonad)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2005, 1:40pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/18 "2005-08-25T13:40:15Z")
> [@AnDrEw](#):
>
> [quote=Gonad]My bro’s got some 10" or 12" telescope (some high quality shit).
>
> I’ve seen the ice caps and the valleys and shit before; pretty cool stuff.
>
> Bastard is in Vancouver this week on business. :run:
damn him. I have an 8" reflector on a dob mount.
Andrew[/quote]
Nerd talk begin…
Apparently he had a 8" Dob, then sold it for a 6" Refractor, then sold that
for an 8" Schmidt with all the CCD trinkets and shit… And thats’ what he
has now I think in some giant trunk in our basement.
I don’t know if he’s heading to Albion hills for all this or not…
Nerd talk end.
---
### Author:  [@AnDrEw](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AnDrEw)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2005, 1:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/19 "2005-08-25T13:53:18Z")
> [@Gonad](#):
>
> [quote=AnDrEw][quote=Gonad]My bro’s got some 10" or 12" telescope (some high quality shit).
>
> I’ve seen the ice caps and the valleys and shit before; pretty cool stuff.
>
> Bastard is in Vancouver this week on business. :run:
damn him. I have an 8" reflector on a dob mount.
Andrew[/quote]
Nerd talk begin…
Apparently he had a 8" Dob, then sold it for a 6" Refractor, then sold that
for an 8" Schmidt with all the CCD trinkets and shit… And thats’ what he
has now I think in some giant trunk in our basement.
I don’t know if he’s heading to Albion hills for all this or not…
Nerd talk end.[/quote]
Yeah I ussually head up with the Efton Science crew during the summers. Didn’t have a chance this summer tho. Which club does he belong to?
He made a good choice on the Schmidth, best out there. And he got the CCD eh. I’m jelous now :lol:
Andrew.
---
### Author:  [@DTS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/DTS)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2005, 1:57pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/mars/88259/20 "2005-08-25T13:57:53Z")
telescope ricers
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