The Opposition of Mars   
       
   March 28, 2014:  By the time you finish reading this story, you'll be about   
   1,000 km closer to the planet Mars.   
       
   Earth and Mars are converging for a close encounter. As March gives way to   
   April, the distance between the two planets is shrinking by about 300 km every   
   minute.  When the convergence ends in mid-April, the gulf between Earth and   
   Mars will have narrowed to only 92 million km--a small number on the vast   
   scale of the solar system.   
       
   Astronomers call this event an "opposition of Mars" because Mars and the Sun   
   are on opposite sides of the sky.  Mars rises in the east at sunset, and soars   
   almost overhead at midnight, shining burnt-orange almost 10 times brighter   
   than a 1st magnitude star.   
       
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xngUpUyyT70   
       
   A new ScienceCast video previews the April 2014 close approach of Mars. Play   
   it!   
       
   Oppositions of Mars happen every 26 months. Of a similar encounter in the 19th   
   century, astronomer Percival Lowell wrote that "[Mars] blazes forth against   
   the dark background of space with a splendor that outshines Sirius and rivals   
   the giant Jupiter himself."   
       
   In other words, it's really easy to see.   
       
   There are two dates of special significance:   
       
   April 8th is the date of opposition, when Mars, Earth, and the sun are   
   arranged in a nearly-straight line.   
       
   If the orbits of Mars and Earth were perfectly circular, April 8th would also   
   be the date of closest approach.  However, planetary orbits are    
   lliptical--that is, slightly egg-shaped--so the actual date of closest   
   approach doesn't come until almost a week later.   
       
   http://tinyurl.com/np7m7x8   
       
   Mars, photographed on March 6, 2014, by Australian amateur astronomer Anthony   
   Wesley using a 16-inch telescope. MoreOn April 14th, Earth and Mars are at   
   their minimum distance: 92 million km, a 6+ month flight for NASA's speediest   
   rockets. You won't have any trouble finding Mars on this night. The full Moon   
   will be gliding by the Red Planet in the constellation Virgo, providing a   
   can't-miss "landmark" in the midnight sky.   
       
   Remarkably, on the same night that Mars is closest to Earth, there will be a   
   total lunar eclipse.  The full Moon of April 14-15 will turn as red as the Red   
   Planet itself.  A video from Science@NASA has the details.   
       
   Although these dates are special, any clear night in April is a good time to   
   look at Mars.  It will be easy to see with the unaided eye even from   
   brightly-lit cities.  With a modest backyard telescope, you can view the rusty   
   disk of Mars as well as the planet's evaporating north polar cap, which has   
   been tipped toward the sun since Martian summer began in February. Experienced   
   astro-photographers using state-of-the-art digital cameras can tease out even   
   more-for example, dust storms, orographic clouds over Martian volcanoes, and   
   icy fogs in the great Hellas impact basin. The view has been described by some   
   observers as "Hubblesque."   
       
   Update:  You're now 1000 km closer to Mars.   
       
   Credits:   
   Author: Dr. Tony Phillips | Production editor: Dr. Tony Phillips | Credit:   
   Science@NASA   
       
   More information:   
       
   The distances and velocities cited in this story were calculated by JPL's   
   online HORIZONS ephemeris.  All velocities are correct for March 31, 2014.   
       
   Oppositions of Mars happen every 26 months. The racetrack model of planetary   
   orbits explains why.  Earth and Mars are like runners on a track. Earth is on   
   the inside, Mars is on the outside.  Every 26 months, speedy Earth catches up   
   to slower Mars and laps it.  Opposition occurs just as Earth takes the lead.   
       
   Because planetary orbits are elliptical, not all oppositions are the same. In   
   2003, Mars made its closest approach to Earth in 50,000 years, an apparition   
   that mesmerized sky watchers all over the world.  The 2014 opposition of Mars   
   is a much more "run-of-the-mill" opposition--not historic, but beautiful   
   nonetheless.   
       
       
   Regards,   
       
   Roger   
      
   --- D'Bridge 3.99   
    * Origin: NCS BBS - Houma, LoUiSiAna (1:3828/7)