MARS SPECTACULAR!

[davidinalameda]

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 beween 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.

. . .

NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN !

[TimeChaser]

1. You're two years too late

http://www.snopes.com/science/mars.asp

[davidinalameda]

3. odd

I got this from a email group that's usually very reliable

[Maestro]

4. Yeah I thought this had already happened as well.

Glad I am not going crazy.

[redqueen]

2. Demmit.

[jukes]

5. snopes

debunked.