August 27th 09 - close up of Mars

Late August of this year, Mars will be the closest it has been to us for at least 5 thousand years (possibly alot longer) and it wont happen again for possibly another 60 thousand years.

www.sodahead.com...

This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again. The encounter will culminate on August 27th 2009 when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification

This email chain letter is really getting old. I think it is even on snopes by now. Not sure how this is handled by T&C but I would be more careful about posting email chain letters as fact.

Snopes Mars Hoax

Sorry to burst it to you mate, but.... ahem.... this is a dud.... it's been over the net so many times; i got it last year, and the year before....

Unless i've somhow mysteriously leapt 5,000-60,000 years ahead in time.... TWICE....

Just google Mars approach hoax and you'll find it....

Woulda been kick-@$$ though....

Edit to add - DAM! beaten to the punch by damwel.... dam.... well....

[edit on 1-7-2009 by Havoc40k]

reply to post by Havoc40k


Indeed, this chain is getting really, really annoying for us amateur astronomers. Every year in august since 2003 there will be someone (and usually a group of someones) who comes up to your telescope at a public viewing, eagerly anticipating a close-up view of mars, when in fact mars isn't close at all at that time and may not even be visible at all at that hour. They usually turn away in disappointment and won't even look at whatever is visible that night. This is apparently a great way to get the public disinterested in astronomy.

bugger

this is where I'd usually put an embarrased smiley *here*


Move along please, nothing to see here

*cough*

edit to add- this seems like a very pointless hoax. What is the reason for it, anyone know?

[edit on 1/7/2009 by Acidtastic]

Originally posted by Acidtastic
edit to add- this seems like a very pointless hoax. What is the reason for it, anyone know?

One version of the email going around was basically true in 2003 (though the whole "large as the moon to the naked eye" part is deceptively emphasized); the problem is that the original email message didn't contain the year, so for whatever reason people keep forwarding it all year long until august rolls around again and the traffic of that email naturally increases (that's my theory for "why" it's still with us). Lobotomized versions of it flatly claim that mars will appear as large as the moon, which was never true at all. In general it's not a hoax as much as it is old information. The window of opportunity passed 6 years ago, but mars will get almost that close again in 2018.

[edit on 1-7-2009 by ngchunter]

Per Steve Quayle:

Mars, along with Phobos and Demos, (the moons) meaning, FEAR and DEMONDS, will absolutely be the closest in 6000 years this August.
He stated that the last time Mars was close, was nothing compared to this.
He also states "they" dont want the population to be aware. Also, whats on Phobos and Demos would absolutely STOP any mans' heart.

Is he crazy????

Emergency broadcast- June 8
His prayer special took place June 9.

You may have to dig in his website for all these old transmissions. He said his last day broadcasting would be June 30.



Who the hell do we believe?????

Originally posted by dgtempe
...Who the hell do we believe?????

For starters, why would I believe Steve Quayle?

What makes his version of things more believable? Simply because they are "alternative"?
I need more than that.


[edit on 7/1/2009 by Soylent Green Is People]

reply to post by Soylent Green Is People


You shouldnt. I was just pointing out that he did have a special show on this very subject.

I can only give you as a point of reference his website.

I am not saying its true, i'm just refering to what i heard. I am also in the dark.

I certainly dont want him to be right. Why is it that lets say, if he's wrong, he's doing it?
He's not selling anything and in fact, he is stopping his broadcasts as of yesterday.

Anyway, confused as always.

Originally posted by dgtempe
reply to post by Soylent Green Is People

 

...He's not selling anything and in fact, he is stopping his broadcasts as of yesterday...(

He owns a website that has advertising and he writes books on alternative subjects. There's nothing wrong with doing that, but that's far from "not selling anything".

Also, I just looked at his website...there is a reference to his topic and guest on today's broadcast (Wednesday 7/1), so I don't think he stopped broadcasting yesterday.

Originally posted by dgtempe
Per Steve Quayle:

Mars, along with Phobos and Demos, (the moons) meaning, FEAR and DEMONDS, will absolutely be the closest in 6000 years this August.
He stated that the last time Mars was close, was nothing compared to this.
He also states "they" dont want the population to be aware. Also, whats on Phobos and Demos would absolutely STOP any mans' heart.

Is he crazy????

Here is a chart of the apparent size of mars, starting at the close approach in 2003:
popastro.com...
The next close approach is not in august and it is actually one of the weakest approaches for the next decade. To put it bluntly, Steve Quayle is wrong. Whether he's crazy or just out to make a buck is debateable.

[edit on 1-7-2009 by ngchunter]

Originally posted by dgtempe
Per Steve Quayle:

Mars, along with Phobos and Demos, (the moons) meaning, FEAR and DEMONDS, will absolutely be the closest in 6000 years this August.

The names are Phobos and Deimos, and they are the names of the Greek gods representing fear and dread, respectively, part of the followers of the god of war, Mars.

Hoax thread in "turns out as quite informative" shocker.


keep going, I've actually learnt something today (which makes a change)