MARS MAKES BRIGHTEST APPEARANCE IN 15 YEARS! What Time & Direction To Look...
Here's something to put on your summer skygazing calendar! Mars will make its brightest appearance in 15 years from July 27 to July 30th. It will be the 3rd brightest night sky object behind the moon and Venus.
Mars Close Approach is July 31, 2018
That is the point in Mars' orbit when it comes closest to Earth. Mars will be at a distance of 35.8 million miles, reaching its highest point around midnight -- about 35 degrees above the southern horizon, or one third of the distance between the horizon and overhead. In order to get the best view, look SE at 9 PM late July. By mid-August, Mars will become fainter as Mars and Earth travel farther away from each other in their orbits around the Sun.
Image Credit: NASA
Close Approach: Mars Hoax
However, don't be fooled by the Mars Hoax! Since 2003, this urban legend gets circulated through email and social media every time Mars makes a Close Approach.
The message is that Mars will look as big as the Moon in our night sky. If that were true, we'd be in big trouble given the gravitational pulls on Earth, Mars, and our Moon!
Miss seeing Mars Close Approach in 2018? The next Mars Close Approach is Oct. 6, 2020.
-Rick DeLuca
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Posted by: Randy Snyder | 08/10/2018 at 02:22 PM