Mars/Mangala Closest to Earth in 73,000 years.

[Guest guest]

Jai Guru Datta

 

Would anyone know the signification of this return of Mangala?

 

Sri Guru Datta

 

Hanuman

 

 

Mars to Get Closer than Ever in Recorded History in

2003

Fri Nov 8, 8:50 AM ET

By Joe Rao, SPACE.com

 

Mars recently emerged into the morning sky and has

begun an orbital dance with Earth that will, over the

next several months, lead to the best viewing

opportunity since Neanderthals looked skyward.

 

We?re not kidding.

To get ready for this momentous skywatching event, now

would be a fine time to reacquaint yourself with the

Red Planet [maps/charts]. All during the summer of

2002 Mars was pretty much out of view because of its

close proximity to the Sun. But during the latter part

of September it began to emerge back into view in the

morning sky and is in full view, though for now it

appears rather small in the sky and low on the

horizon.

However, this is only the beginning of what will turn

out to be the most dramatic and spectacular Mars

apparition you or any of your ancestors has ever had a

chance to see.

The Red Planet is getting progressively closer to

Earth with each passing night, and consequently it

will slowly appear to grow larger and brighter. By

late August 2003, when it will be about 191 million

miles closer, the reddish point of light in our night

sky will appear more than six times larger and shine

some 85 times brighter than it appears now.

At 5:51 a.m. EDT on Aug. 27, 2003, Mars will be within

34,646,488 miles (55,746,199 kilometers) of Earth.

This will be the closest that Mars has come to our

planet in about 73,000 years, based on detailed

computations by Jean Meeus of Belgium.

Meeus is a world-renowned expert in the field of

spherical and mathematical astronomy. He has written

many highly acclaimed books dealing with a variety of

astronomical calculations. His most recent book, "More

Mathematical Astronomy Morsels" (Willmann-Bell, Inc.,

2002) contains a chapter on Mars' Closest Approaches

to Earth.

Here's what happens:

On Aug. 28, 2003, Mars will be at "opposition," the

moment when the Sun, Earth and Mars will form a

straight line; since we are closer to the Sun than

Mars, this is also when we are overtaking Mars in our

respective orbits [graphic].

Mars comes to opposition about every 26 months. But

because of the elliptical orbits of Earth and Mars,

not all oppositions are created equal. The 2003

opposition will be superior to all the others because

Mars will be very near to its closest point to the

Sun, called perihelion, when it arrives at opposition.

 

 

Such "perihelic oppositions" of Mars are in

themselves, rather infrequent, occurring about every

15 to 17 years. The most recent one took place in

September 1988, when Mars passed to within 36.5

million miles (58.7 million kilometers) of Earth.

Though Mars' opposition comes comes on Aug. 28, it

will be closest to Earth on Aug. 27.

At the close approach, the Red Planet will be brighter

than Jupiter and all the stars in the night sky,

outshone only by Venus and the Moon.