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August 2003

This month, while three unmanned craft approach Mars, the red planet will be closer to Earth than at any time in the past 60,000 years. Find out why, and discover how to see Mars at its very best. A pair of local star parties are scheduled so you can see it up close. It truly is the Summer of Mars!
Download this month's star chart!

Summer of Mars

If you haven't heard already, you will: late this summer will be one of the best times ever to view the planet Mars. That's because Mars and Earth will be very close together in space. In fact, astronomers have calculated that on August 27, they'll be closer than they've been in 60,000 or 70,000 years. That's a pretty impressive number, but Mars and Earth have been nearly as close several times in the past century. Still, there's no better time to start exploring the red planet, which, other than the Moon, will be the brightest object in the night sky.

To add to the excitement there are four unmanned spacecraft on their way to Mars right now! Two of these are the twin Mars Exploration Rovers from NASA, named "Spirit" and "Opportunity." They will land on opposite sides of Mars in January 2004. Each robotic rover will explore the rocks and soil in the hopes of determining whether water once flowed on the martian surface long ago.

Another explorer on the way is Mars Express, a joint effort of the European, Russian, and American space agencies. Mars Express consists of a craft that will orbit Mars, and a lander, called "Beagle 2." Beagle 2 won't drive around the surface like the NASA rovers, but it will be able to dig deeper to look for ice that might be hidden just below the surface soil. Beagle 2 is scheduled to land on December 24, 2003.

Also reaching Mars in December is the "Nozomi" spacecraft, Japan's first interplanetary mission. It was launched in 1998, but an unplanned course correction used up so much fuel that a new route to Mars had to be chosen, one that would delay arrival by four years. When it arrives, Nozomi will orbit Mars, studying the thin martian atmosphere.

You too can explore Mars by visiting the Sudekum Planetarium, OR better yet, join us for a star party to see the real thing!

Why is Mars So Close?

In astronomical terms, Mars is at opposition on August 27. A planet is at opposition when it appears on the opposite side of the sky from the Sun. At opposition, the planet rises in the east at the same time the Sun sets in the west - because they are opposite one another. Mercury and Venus can never be at opposition because their with orbits are smaller than Earth's.

Mars comes to oppositions about every 26 months when Earth and Mars are lined up on the same side of the Sun. However, since planetary orbits aren't perfect circles but ellipses, some oppositions are closer than others. During less impressive oppositions, Mars might be as much as 60 million miles away. This time, Mars will be less than 35 million miles away, and in telescopes will appear as large enough to see hints of surface features. No wonder amateur astronomers around the world will be taking a close look at Mars - this is the best it gets!

Spotting Mars

August 27 marks the date when Mars will be closest to Earth. But don't wait until then to go looking - start now, because Mars is already bright and easy to find!

Around the middle of August, Mars rises above the southeast horizon a little before 9 PM. It takes an hour or so for the planet to rise high enough over trees, hills, and buildings - so go out around 10:30 PM. If skies are clear, you'll see a bright, pale orange, starlike object. Mars will be brighter than anything in the night sky except for the Moon. With no other bright stars in the immediate area, Mars stands out even more. Compare Mars' color to that of Antares, the red, supergiant star that marks the heart of Scorpius.

Each night during August, Mars rises earlier and earlier and appears brighter and brighter. By the end of the month, you can go out as early as 9:00 PM, and Mars will be at its brightest.


Click the map for a larger version

After the 27th, Mars will start to grow fainter as the distance between Mars and Earth increases, but it will still be quite bright for several weeks. Mars will also rise earlier each evening.

Even at its best, Mars can be disappointing when viewed through a telescope. You need a telescope of at least five or six inches diameter and excellent skies to see much, if any, detail. Depending on conditions, you may just see a round, pinkish dot.

Even so, the best views are had when Mars is high in the sky away from the frequently hazy horizon. Avoiding parking lots and buildings can also improve your seeing. Not only will the light pollution blind you, but heat absorbed by all that concrete during the day radiates upward at night can make the air turbulent causing images to "bob and weave" in the eyepiece. Even the weather on Mars can affect your observations as planet-wide dust storms can cloak the already elusive features.

Larger telescopes may reveal ice caps and markings on the surface, but since not everyone has a big telescope, you might attend a star party. Members of the Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society will set up their telescopes to look at Mars and other highlights of the late summer sky.

Star Parties!

For a worldwide list of Mars 2003 Opposition events, visit the Universe Today web site.
To celebrate Mars' opposition, there will be two FREE public star parties in August. The first is on Saturday, August 16, from 9:30 to 11:30 PM at the Longhunter State Park Visitors' Center. The address is 2910 Hobson Pike 37076. You can get a detailed map at www.mapquest.com.

The second is set for Saturday, August 23, from 8:00 to 11:00 PM at the model airplane field in Edwin Warner Park. Call the Nature Center at 615-352-6299 for reservations.

This just in! Another Mars star party! The Cumberland Astronomical Society (CAS) will be hosting a public star party for the Mars Opposition on Saturday, August 30, from 8:00 until...? It will be held at Lock Four Park in Gallatin. This will be quite convenient for the folks on the north side of town. Get directions at the CAS web site.

Then at 7:30 pm on August 27, Join Franklin Drama, Team Green and the Adventure Science Center at the model airplane field of Edwin Warner Park, as we present a community celebration featuring a live performance of the War of the Worlds broadcast, the Rory Partin Big Band, and a Mars observation post. There will be vendors, booths and prize-giveaways. Admission and Parking are Free. This event is sponsored by The Adventure Science Center, Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society, Freedom Steel Homes, the Nashville Scene, Lightning 100 and Team Green.

For more information call 614-0033 or visit www.Franklindrama.com

Franklin Drama is a non-profit theatre company that provides educational and enriching programs to Nashville area schools and communities.

The Rory Partin Band has played for the last SIX PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURAL BALLS in Washington, DC, by request. As well as events for the most prestigious organizations like: The American Heart Association, World Trade Center (NY), Pinehurst Country Club, The Greenbrier, The Waldorf Astoria, The Ritz-Carlton, and countless others.

AND, don't miss the Tennessee Star Party in Crossville; September 26 - 28, 2003. This family friendly event is excellent for all ages with an interest in astronomy. For details, visit www.bsasnashville.com.

Understanding the Universe

A forty lecture course on videotape
"Astronomy does not attempt to define "why" we are here. That's best left to philosophy, metaphysics or religion." So says the brilliant California University Professor of Astronomy, Alex Philippenko, in the first tape of a series of videotapes of his lectures on Understanding The Universe. These tapes will be viewed in the library of the Patricia Hart Building of Knowles Senior Center every Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 PM. The tapes owner, Bill Dodson, along with several astronomy buffs are viewing them there beginning on September 10, 2003. You are encouraged to join us as we learn what has and is being learned in the field of Astronomy.

In "The Grand Tour of the Universe" presented as the first of the lectures, Professor Philippenko describes the areas to be covered in the five parts of the course. Answers will be provided for questions such as "What is light?" "How far away is the sun?","What causes the phases of the moon," "What are stars?" "What are planets?" "What is an orbit?" and many more.

The professor notes in his first lecture that Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher, said "Education is the kindling of a flame rather than filling a vessel." Others say, "What we learn makes us anxious to learn more."

The Professor also points out that since this is a "survey" course difficult math is deliberately left out. Simple analogies are used throughout.

Join us for a session and you may never again view the skies the same way.

Call Bill Dodson (at home: 315-8074) for more information or The Center (Receptionist 743-3400)

The Patricia Hart Building is located at 174 Rains Avenue across from Fall Hamilton school [at west entrance to Nashville Fairgrounds]

- Bill Dodson

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