|
Mars Opposition 2003
Mars will be the brightest object in the sky after 10 PM PDT in late August and early September, appears orange in color and will be brighter than all the stars and unlike the stars it does not twinkle. It will be found highest in the sky at about 1:30 A.M. PDT. Maximum brightness will be near peak brightness (magnitude -2.9) for about a week before and after 27 August. Mars fades rapidly after early September as the Earth pulls ahead of it. With a pair of good binoculars you should be able to see features on Mars. And if you look at it on consecutive nights you migth actually see some weather changes as dust storms or clouds have moved! What is Mars Opposition? Put simply, Mars opposition is when the planet Mars is closest to Earth. When is Mars Opposition? For the mid-latitudes of North America opposition will occur on August 27 at 2:51 AM PDT or 5:51 AM EDT. Mars will be 55.76 million kilometers from Earth (34.6 million miles). Why is this Mars Opposition so Important? The last time Mars was this close to Earth was in the year 57,537 B.C. The next approach this close will be August, 28, 2287 A.D.
Source and More Facts: NASA Mars Exploration Program - Mars Opposition |