"Gavin Staples" wrote in message
...
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





Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.



Does anyone know about this. I got this in an email from a freind of mine
from Japan.


Gavin

Your friend is uttering a load of nonsense. In any case, the correct
details of the forthcoming apparition of Mars have been known for centuries.

But as Alan has correctly pointed out, wrong ng.

Regards, Roger