Perhaps you've gotten the email that's been going around - the one that seems to claim that in August 2005, the planet Mars will look as big as the full Moon. We can very confidently tell you that this is completely false. The key misleading line in the email is this:
"At a modest 75-power magnification Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye."
To begin with, this sentence contradicts itself. If you're looking through a telescope or binoculars, you are by definition not observing with the naked eye. Compounding the problem is that many readers just skip over the beginning of the sentence and get excited about everything after the word "magnification".
Another problem with the email is the date. This email is almost an exact repeat of a message that made the rounds in the weeks leading up to August 27, 2003. That was the date when Mars was closer to Earth than it had been in about 60,000 years. But even so, it did not appear any bigger to the naked eye than usual.
Mars makes close approaches to the Earth about every 26 months, due to the relative speeds of the two planets in their orbits. If you do the math you'll conclude that Earth and Mars are just about due for another rendezvous. But it's not in August, as that old email suggests: this closest approach will be on October 29, 2005.
Mars won't be quite as close as it was last time, but for us in the Northern Hemisphere, it will appear higher in the sky and easier to locate. It still won't look any bigger than a point of light to the naked eye, but it will be very bright.
In telescopes, it will look bigger than it usually does. Around the world, astronomers will use this opportunity to get a prime close-up look at Mars. Even in smaller backyard telescopes, you may be able to see a white polar ice cap and some soft grey markings on the surface of the otherwise rust-colored planet. Larger telescopes can reveal even more detail, good weather permitting.
Another important thing to remember: while the closest approach may be October 29th, don't assume that will be your only day to get a good view. Mars will be closer and brighter than usual for a month or two before and after that date. In fact, even this month Mars is getting a little bit brighter every night. But right now you'll have to stay up past midnight to get a look at it, low in the east. By October it will be rising much earlier.
This month is just about your last chance to see giant Jupiter in the evening for a while. Look for it in the western sky after sunset. Jupiter moves slowly in its orbit around the Sun, and it's far away from Earth, so it doesn't seem to move across the background stars very quickly. However, Jupiter is setting earlier and earlier every evening simply because the Earth is moving in its orbit around the Sun, constantly changing our view. Soon Jupiter will be lost in the glow of sunset.
You can also look for Venus - low in the west just as the sky starts to get dark. It will be even brighter than Jupiter. With atmospheric turbulence near the horizon, it may even seem to bounce around or change colors.
Compared to Jupiter, Venus moves quickly in its orbit and is relatively close to us, so it noticably changes its position against the stars every night.
Watch the changing distance between Jupiter and Venus each night. By the end of August the two planets will appear very close to each other in the sky. They are at their closest on September 2. Venus will still be visible for several months, but Jupiter will be too close to the Sun to see during most of September and October. Jupiter will reappear in the morning sky in November.
One of the best meteor showers of the year peaks on Friday evening August 12. That's why the annual August Star Party and Perseid Meteor Watch is set for Friday, August 12 from 8:00 to 11:00 PM at the model airplane pads in the Special Events Field at Edwin Warner Park. Weather permitting, members of the Barnard Seyfert Astronomical Society will set up telescopes to provide views of the Moon, Jupiter, stars, clusters, and more.
Be sure to visit our star parties page for driving directions and helpful tips. Before driving, check our home page for the latest information, especially if the weather is iffy.
The Barnard Seyfert Astronomical Society meets the third Thursday at 7:30 pm at the Science Center. August's speaker is Mitzi Adams from the Marshall Space Flight Center. September features Mark Manner and CCD imaging. October will be William Keel from University of Alabama on relativity. In November, Jeff Moersch from UT-Knoxville will talk about Martian geology and the incredible Mars Exploration Rovers.
