[extropy-chat] [ASTRO/BS?] Mars as big as the moon?

spike spike66 at comcast.net
Thu Jun 9 02:48:16 UTC 2005


> -----Original Message-----
> From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org [mailto:extropy-chat-
> bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of The Avantguardian
> Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 4:08 PM
> To: ExI-Chat
> Subject: [extropy-chat] [ASTRO/BS?] Mars as big as the moon?
> 
> Some well meaning friend forwarded this to me.
> 
> I am thinking this HAS to be nonsense, but I am not an
> astronomer. Amara? Anyone?


Technically correct but grossly overstated in its
tone, such as the breathless NO ONE ALIVE WILL
EVER SEE THIS AGAIN.  It won't look that different
at opposition this year than it will next cycle in a
couple of years.  Your viewing success depends a lot 
more on the atmospheric conditions than the slight
differences in the distance at opposition.

This kind of hype detracts from amateur astronomy,
for the pleasures and insights to be found by gazing 
skyward are quiet, introspective and subtle.  No flash 
or bang is to be found there, no competition for our 
gaudy, glaring neon advertisements and video games.  

The Nietzsche quote of which Amara is fond is really
the best summary of amateur astronomy, that of staring 
into the abyss.  That profound abyss will still be there 
next month, next year, long after we are all perished, 
unchanging, magnificent, stately, not malicious but 
quietly uncaring of our brief struggles on this 
terrestrial sphere.  

spike

> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Cobb, LynJason
> [mailto:LynJason.cobb at cbnorcal.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 12:38 PM
> To: ****Menlo Park -El Camino
> Subject: Mars Spectacular!!
> 
> Subject: MARS SPECTACULAR!
> 
>  Now this looks like it might be fun to catch a look
> at?!
> 
> 
> The Red Planet is about to be spectacular! This month
> and next, Earth is
> catching up with Mars in an encounter that 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.
> 
> 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
> 
> By August 27, Mars will look as large as the full moon
> to the naked eye.
> 
> Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August
> it will rise in the
> 
> east at 10p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.
> 
> By the end of August when the two planets are closest,
> Mars will rise at
> nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at
> 12:30a.m. That's pretty
> convenient to see something that no human being has
> seen in recorded
> history. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of
> August to see Mars grow
> progressively brighter and brighter throughout the
> month. Share this with
> your children and grandchildren. NO ONE ALIVE TODAY
> WILL EVER SEE THIS
> AGAIN
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Avantguardian
> is
> Stuart LaForge
> alt email: stuart"AT"ucla.edu
> 
> "The surest sign of intelligent life in the universe is that they haven't
> attempted to contact us."
> -Bill Watterson
> 
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