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Mars will soon be the closest to earth in over 5000 years

jmig

jmig

SOH-CM-2025
On Aug 27th, Mars will be less than 35 million miles. This is the closest it has come in over 5000 years. It mat not get this close again until 2287.

If you want to see mars up close and personal, next month is the time to do it.

At least that was the gist of an email and PowerPoint presentation I received. :jump:
 
Thanks for the heads up JMig.

When I was a kid, UFO reports always rose when Mars was closest. Not saying anything, lol... It was a known fact though.

What an interesting planet. I hope we successfully and safely travel to the planet soon. If only we could come up with some really fast forms of space travel...



Bill
 
Cratermaker said:
http://www.snopes.com/science/astronomy/brightmars.asp

That story never seems to die.
Click to expand...

Yep.

The simple way to say it, Mars gets close roughly every couple years, actually.
Although never close enough to look like a a full moon through binoculars.
That's why most of the Space agencies launch probes to Mars every other year.

Our next one goes up in the Fall of 2011.
Mars Science Labratory:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/mission/overview/

Be the third generation of Rover we send next year.
This one is slated to last a year.

Spirit and Opportunity were only expected to last 90 days, back in 2004, and they are still exploring today.
Well, Opportunity is the only one moving anymore, Spirit is still hanging in there.

MSL is bigger and faster, and has a built in heater to last through the Martian winter.
I hope we get as good of mileage out of MSL.
 
Let the Snopes article put it to rest.

This started circulating way back when Mats reached opposition in 2006 and has gone on since. Nyet, nyet, nyet.

Mars reaches an apogee with Earth every 12 years. The last near apogee was 2006, so there will be no other until 2018. Mars currently is distancing itself from Earth at each apogee and will do so until 2012, when it will begin to become closer each opposition until the closest in 2018.

Even at it's nearest, Mars is over 30 million miles distance, so forget an object the size of a full moon, Mars itself is only marginally larger than our moon, which at its nearest is only 238,000 miles from earth, you do the numbers.

The Internet is a good thing for the most part, but it is destroying any common sense that the human race had!

Caz
 
Well shiiiiiiittttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt! That came from a good friend and fellow pilot. He was even a school science teacher. LOL

Wait until I talk to him.
 
NOPE.. the little green guys with the BIG eyes are Cool.
No need to get all worried..
They hang out often here, my Cat doesn't like them..
But they haven't caused any problems..
They seen to Like The Old I Love Lucy shows..
so they just hang out and eat popcorn and watch Lucy..

The taller ones that are skinny and with Big heads sometimes get a bit lively,
But as soon as i spray some Brute cologne around they seem to settle down..
But they do like to smoke my pipe and Burn up all my Hobbit weed!!
Bummer..:jump:
 
Gee Bob, if we see Dec 23rd 2012 we're home safe. :d IIRC, it's supposed to be Dec 21st 2012 the Earth takes a crap.

John, I bet he was an Earthscience teacher. Marsscience as we know it is fairly new. ;)
 
b52bob said:
"It mat not get this close again until 2287....."

Don't matter after December 23, 2012.
Click to expand...

That is two days before my 65th birthday. I will be able to collect social security. You know how many years I paid into social security? I want to live long enough to get it back, darn it.

:jump:
 
GT182 said:
Gee Bob, if we see Dec 23rd 2012 we're home safe. :d IIRC, it's supposed to be Dec 21st 2012 the Earth takes a crap.

John, I bet he was an Earthscience teacher. Marsscience as we know it is fairly new. ;)
Click to expand...

Actually it was Chemistry and Physics. He got snuckered too. :)
 
MARS the Red Planet...Roman God Of war........I really thought I would live long enough to see Man walking around on it,many took the moon walk either as one of the greatest accomplishments of mankind,or with just total indefferance...I fear the those who are indifferent ,are now setting the course.....JFK WAS A GREAT VISIONARY,A true profile in courage then...But since 1969, 41 years ago,no human being has set foot on our closests bodies in our near space...much less any where else In outer space!..

"For Once You Have Tasted Flight You Will Walk The Earth With Your Eyes Turned Skyward,For There You Have Been,And There You Will Long To Return"...Leonardo Da Vinici

I Think Ole Leon would have been disappointed!!
 
beana51 said:
MARS the Red Planet...Roman God Of war........I really thought I would live long enough to see Man walking around on it,many took the moon walk either as one of the greatest accomplishments of mankind,or with just total indefferance...I fear the those who are indifferent ,are now setting the course.....JFK WAS A GREAT VISIONARY,A true profile in courage then...But since 1969, 41 years ago,no human being has set foot on our closests bodies in our near space...much less any where else In outer space!..

"For Once You Have Tasted Flight You Will Walk The Earth With Your Eyes Turned Skyward,For There You Have Been,And There You Will Long To Return"...Leonardo Da Vinici

I Think Ole Leon would have been disappointed!!
Click to expand...


So true............!!
 
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