| Not since Neanderthals looked skyward, starting in August will be the brightest and best view of Planet Mars.
This is the closest Mars has come to earth in 66,000 years, and Calhoun's unlit sky is perfect viewing.
This is the beginning of what will turn out to be the most dramatic and spectacular Mars apparition you or any of your ancestors has ever had a chance to see.
The Red Planet is getting progressively closer to Earth with each passing night, and consequently it will slowly appear to grow larger and brighter.
By late August 2003, when it will be about 191 million miles closer, the reddish point of light in our night sky will appear more than six times larger and shine some 85 times brighter than it appears now.
At 5:51 a.m. EDT on Aug. 27, 2003, Mars will be within 34,646,418 miles (55,758,006 kilometers) of Earth. This will be the closest that Mars has come to our planet in nearly 60,000 years.
On August 28, 2003, Mars will be at "opposition," the moment when the Sun, Earth and Mars will form a straight line; since we are closer to the Sun than Mars, this is also when we are overtaking Mars in our respective orbits.
At the close approach, the Red Planet will be brighter than Jupiter and all the stars in the night sky, outshone only by Venus and the Moon.
Check out the several web sites for more details.
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