Thanks for this post. But I thought Mars was at it's closest last year?


I don't see how it will be the same size as the full moon. The moon is roughly the size of your fingernail with your arm fully outstretched. That may sound small but remember that the Moon is the same apparent size as the Sun. I'd like to see a copy of that email if you don't mind.

Thanks.

On August 27, 2003 -- the date of closest approach -- the two worlds was 56 million km apart.

Yep... CA has it right... Mars was visible as a disc, and very red, even with the city lights from the Gold Coast drowning out much of the night sky. It'll be a long time before it gets that close again.

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My daughter showed me something she got in an email about Mars. It's supposed to be the closest ever to earth in 5,000 years on the 27th August about 12.30AM.
Mars is supposed to be that close to earth at that time that it will look about the same size as a full moon. Can anyone here confirm this as true or fals please, as I don't want to got out that night to look and find nothing. By the way, if it is going to be that big on that date we should be able to see it now, right?

I received the same joke e-mail. Read it more closely and it talks about "At a modest 75-power magnification, mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye" Also Mars is on the other side of the sun at the moment so it will make it even harder to see. This is an almst yearly scam that must be put out by a pissy telescope reseller to boost sales....

Thanks for this post. But I thought Mars was at it's closest last year?


I don't see how it will be the same size as the full moon. The moon is roughly the size of your fingernail with your arm fully outstretched. That may sound small but remember that the Moon is the same apparent size as the Sun. I'd like to see a copy of that email if you don't mind.

Thanks.

On August 27, 2003 -- the date of closest approach -- the two worlds was 56 million km apart.

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Thanks for this post. But I thought Mars was at it's closest last year?


I don't see how it will be the same size as the full moon. The moon is roughly the size of your fingernail with your arm fully outstretched. That may sound small but remember that the Moon is the same apparent size as the Sun. I'd like to see a copy of that email if you don't mind.

Thanks.

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Founder of BOINC team Objectivists. Oh the humanity! Rational people crunching data!
I did NOT authorize this belly writing!

My daughter showed me something she got in an email about Mars. It's supposed to be the closest ever to earth in 5,000 years on the 27th August about 12.30AM.
Mars is supposed to be that close to earth at that time that it will look about the same size as a full moon. Can anyone here confirm this as true or fals please, as I don't want to got out that night to look and find nothing. By the way, if it is going to be that big on that date we should be able to see it now, right?

I received the same email. :) Nothing about it on JPL's website. But it will not look the same size as a full moon. Heck, even Venus (which is closer) can't do that.

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me@rescam.org

My daughter showed me something she got in an email about Mars. It's supposed to be the closest ever to earth in 5,000 years on the 27th August about 12.30AM.
Mars is supposed to be that close to earth at that time that it will look about the same size as a full moon. Can anyone here confirm this as true or fals please, as I don't want to got out that night to look and find nothing. By the way, if it is going to be that big on that date we should be able to see it now, right?

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