Mars Closest to Earth 27th August

[Nordo]

My wife was sent a pps file saying that on 27th August, Mars will be the closest it's been to earth in 5000 years. Stating:
"Mag -2.9;
25.1 arcsec wide;
large as the moon"

Can anyone verify this?
I would assume this info (if true) would be for the northen hemisphere.

[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

That was in 2003

CS-John B

[Nordo]

Aaarrrggghh, *@#**$

[RAJAH235]

Nordo. As aus/John has said, 'twas in 2003.
What you received is the 'fake/false email' that keeps sufacing at this time of year.
HTH.... L.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

It's a bit of a standing joke in astronomy circles Nordo. That email circulated last year as well. And each year more and more of the realistic bits (if there ever were any) get pruned away.

JFYI the full moon is about 29' (arc min) wide, not 25" (arc sec), about 1/60 the size, so you see they can't even get that right But if you want a bit of trivia to impress your wife try this.

Ask her how big is the full moon? How big an object held at arms length would you need to cover it? Then get her to hold up her right hand, extend her pinkie and use that to cover the moon. Yep that's right. Your index finger covers about a degree and your pinkie about half that. That should impress her.

Then get her to check at different times of the night. That big newly risen full moon is exactly the same size as when it is straight over head. True.

[Nordo]

I took the "Big as the Moon" with a pinch of salt, but I really got sucked in with the rest of it .
Please don't tell anyone .

[spacezebra (Petra)]

Hi Nordo

Dont worry I wont tell anyone

Cheers Petra

Originally Posted by Nordo

I took the "Big as the Moon" with a pinch of salt, but I really got sucked in with the rest of it .
Please don't tell anyone .

[Nordo]

Thanks.
Cool truss

[Argonavis (William)]

In 2003 Mars was a very close 50 million kms from Earth.

Other oppositions will not be as fortuituous:

http://www.ianridpath.com/mars.htm

[ving (David)]

lol! again!
this pops up several times per year

[Nordo]

All right, all right. Stop laughing everybody
Why can't somebody pull this whole thread

(Hmmm, July 27, 2018. Have to put that in my diary)

[johnno]

Hi All,

Must admit, this Mars Hoax,is makeing my already short fuse,even shorter.

Anyone who knows me well, also knows I am Interested in Astronomy,
So I get emails with this Rubbish,from all my good friends,and Family,and have to explain to each,and every one of them,TACTFULLY,that although they think they are doing me a favour,it is Just not Correct.

I dont know who started this garbage,
But may the fleas,of a thousand Camels, infest their Hairy Parts,
Underarms,and things,etc.

Regards.
John

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

I am getting emails from residents in our district now asking about this stupid Mars thing!!!!!

I am politely telling them it is a hoax.

[RAJAH235]

You can always make an email 'template' for all the friends etc....Just takes one or two button presses then, n they're all informed.
Ahh well, roll on 2007.... L.

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

Originally Posted by johnno

Hi All,


But may the fleas,of a thousand Camels, infest their Hairy Parts,
Underarms,and things,etc.

Regards.
John

Yeah, my sister sent me a copy of a power point presentation. I said that at least it has nice pictures.

To quote Barry McKenzie..."may their chooks turn to Emus and kick their dunny down!"

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Our local paper published this email as a feature article this time last year.

John, next year you can be the one to break the news of this hoax to the newbies ok.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

At least there is a good side to all this. Look at all the closet astronomers there are out there.

Now all we have to do is get them out of spamland and out into the real thing. How many people would we turn if everytime we received this email we invited the sender over to have a look through our scope/s and explain a few things to them.

Now here's a conspiracy theory for you. I wonder if there is a supplier out there in astronomy land who every year at this time (end of financial year sorta thing, remember this is a conspiracy ) thinks, "Hmmmm....gotta get rid of some of this excess stock I over ordered. AHA! The ol' Mars furfy. Gets them to buy scopes everytime."

I love a good conspiracy

[RAJAH235]

Arr Paul, "Many a true word is spoken in jest". .... You might jest have something there!.... L.
ps.Any progress on the 'heater thing', or has it bin binned?

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

I actually pulled it all out the other week before Astrofest thinking I should really get this thing working. Took one look at the tangle of wire and leads and promptly got out the hair drier.

[iceman (Mike)]

In the last 2 days i've had both my parents, and someone from work, ask me about the upcoming Mars "event".

Why do people keep forwarding it on?