Lilu
June 13th, 2001, 02:19 PM
Wasn't Sure if this classified for the Astrology Forum or not. If it did, I guess someone can move it?
Wednesday June 13, 04:16 PM
Mars pays a "close" visit to Earth
LONDON (Reuters) - Stargazers can enjoy a close encounter of the Martian kind tonight when the red planet makes its closest approach to Earth in a dozen years.
Mars will be close enough to view in detail with a small telescope and it will be brilliantly lit by the Sun.
"Its nearer the Sun so its brighter and it's nearer to the Earth so we can see it," a spokeswoman for the British Astronomical Association told Reuters.
The eliptical orbits of Earth and Mars mean that the two planets and the Sun will appear to assemble in a straight line on Wednesday night.
Mars is estimated to come within 42 million miles from Earth allowing viewers, with telescopes, to spot the polar ice caps. The last time Mars came closer to the earth was in 1998 when it came within 36.6 million miles.
The association said the best viewing time is the middle of the night -- to allow for the best colour contrast. The planet should be visible to the south low on the horizon.
Meanwhile British authorities are reportedly preparing for a rash of UFO sightings when the giant red disc appears in the night sky.
The Astronomical Association's spokeswoman told Reuters that when it comes to UFO reports "anything is possible".
"It will be a nice little rose-coloured bright object if people haven't seen it before they will think `Gosh yes it must be a UFO' -- At this end of the phone you'd be surprised what members of the public think are UFOs."
From: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/010613/80/bv4c9.html
Lilu
Wednesday June 13, 04:16 PM
Mars pays a "close" visit to Earth
LONDON (Reuters) - Stargazers can enjoy a close encounter of the Martian kind tonight when the red planet makes its closest approach to Earth in a dozen years.
Mars will be close enough to view in detail with a small telescope and it will be brilliantly lit by the Sun.
"Its nearer the Sun so its brighter and it's nearer to the Earth so we can see it," a spokeswoman for the British Astronomical Association told Reuters.
The eliptical orbits of Earth and Mars mean that the two planets and the Sun will appear to assemble in a straight line on Wednesday night.
Mars is estimated to come within 42 million miles from Earth allowing viewers, with telescopes, to spot the polar ice caps. The last time Mars came closer to the earth was in 1998 when it came within 36.6 million miles.
The association said the best viewing time is the middle of the night -- to allow for the best colour contrast. The planet should be visible to the south low on the horizon.
Meanwhile British authorities are reportedly preparing for a rash of UFO sightings when the giant red disc appears in the night sky.
The Astronomical Association's spokeswoman told Reuters that when it comes to UFO reports "anything is possible".
"It will be a nice little rose-coloured bright object if people haven't seen it before they will think `Gosh yes it must be a UFO' -- At this end of the phone you'd be surprised what members of the public think are UFOs."
From: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/010613/80/bv4c9.html
Lilu