The Martians are coming...!

The Martians are coming...!
Originally uploaded by Anantya.

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>> The Red Planet is about to be spectacular!

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>> This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter

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>> will culminate in the closest approach between 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.

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>> 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

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