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Mars
and its Closest Approach to Earth in at least 73,000 years.
By Eloise Helm
Mars crossed the equator. The proper term for this crossing
is zero degrees of declination. At the same time, it is
fast approaching its closest approach to Earth in 5,000
ars, hence the reason for all the talk about war. Mars is
the planet of war, aggression, determination and independence,
which the world is experiencing all the above at the present
time. It is the first planet beyond the Earth from the Sun.
The Earth is between Venus and Mars. Since the earth is
between these two planets, they play an important part in
our emotions and on the gravitational pull according to
their alignment.
You
can take out your telescopes and prepare for Mars closest
approach to the Earth on August 27, 2003. According to Myles
Standish of Jet Propulsion Laboratories, on that date the
Earth-Mars distance will be the smallest it has been in
at least 5,000 years. The next closest distance between
Mars-Earth will not occur again after that date until August
29, 2287. In fact, Jean Meeus, an astronomer of Belgium
has a new book out which specifically details this Mars
closest approach on August 27, 2003 has not occurred in
at least 73,000 years. Such an unusually close approach
will make Mars appear exceptionally brilliant. Through much
of the summer and early fall Mars will easily outshine Sirius
(the brightest star) Sirius is in the constellation of Cancer
at 13 degrees.
The
Earth is always in opposition to the Sun and when Mars reaches
its closest approach to the Earth, Mars will be in opposition
to the Sun. Mars comes to opposition about every 26 months,
however because of the elliptical orbits of Earth and Mars
all oppositions are not equal. In 2003, Mars will be far
superior to other oppositions. In recent oppositions, Mars
approached the Earth within 35.l million miles/56.5 million
kilometers in September 1956, 34.9 million miles/56.2 kilometers
in August 1971; and 36.5 million miles/58.7 million kilometers
in September, 1988. It is interesting to note that with
each of Mars closest approaches to Earth giant dust storms
tend to rage on Mars. In the past, such storms have obscured
large parts of the surface of Mars for many weeks.
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