Two Moons?, Aug. 27 |
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 Aug 20 2006, 02:02 PM
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#1
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 Senior Member  Group: Member Posts: 54 Joined: Mar 2005 Member No: 116,622  |
My cousin forwarded an email from her friend who works at NASA, but I don't want to upload the powerpoint to I just copied the words onto here.
QUOTE This month and next, Earth will catch up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and disturbs 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. It 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. 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. So, What are your thoughts on this? Are you going to go out and see it? I am definitely going to go out that night just to see it. I think it'd be awesome 
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Aug 20 2006, 02:07 PM
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#2
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 Senior Member Group: Official Member Posts: 7,149 Joined: Aug 2005 Member No: 213,509 |
thattll be cool with 2 moons. i ghope i remember to go see it
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Aug 20 2006, 03:43 PM
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#3
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 [BRITT;;] Group: Member Posts: 764 Joined: Jul 2006 Member No: 433,210 |
thats crazy. ;o ima watch.
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Aug 20 2006, 08:29 PM
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#4
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 All The Girlies Say I'm Pretty Fly For A White Guy Group: Member Posts: 1,944 Joined: May 2006 Member No: 400,858 |
That's cool.
 I will probably watch it. 
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| *yrrnotelekktric* |
Aug 20 2006, 10:21 PM
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#5
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that is freaking awesome.
i`d watch it!
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Aug 21 2006, 04:54 PM
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#6
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. Group: Member Posts: 3,264 Joined: Jan 2004 Member No: 761 |
I'll go get my telescope!!!
I wish I lived near an observatory though... |
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Aug 21 2006, 05:01 PM
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#7
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 hi. call me linda. Group: Official Member Posts: 8,187 Joined: Feb 2004 Member No: 3,475 |
Hmm, not to burst anyone's bubble, but this isn't true, at least not for this year:
http://www.snopes.com/science/mars.asp |
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Aug 21 2006, 05:16 PM
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#8
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. Group: Member Posts: 3,264 Joined: Jan 2004 Member No: 761 |
QUOTE(silver rain @ Aug 21 2006, 6:01 PM)  Hmm, not to burst anyone's bubble, but this isn't true, at least not for this year: http://www.snopes.com/science/mars.asp Aww, shucks.. Oh, well. At least it's gonna be at the time when I have the Hayden Program in August.. It's gonna be fun 'cause we're a bunch of nerds who know a bunch about astrophysics :) YAY! |
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