January 29, 2010 Mars will be in opposition to the Sun, and closest to Earth. At that time, Mars will shine in the sky at about midnight, rising to the east, just after sunset, the sun and its apparent diameter will be 14 seconds of arc.
At that time, Mars will shine in the sky at about midnight, rising to the east, just after sunset, the sun and its apparent diameter will be 14 seconds of arc.
In the approach that will take place on 29, 2010, at 16h 36 min., GMT, the Earth and Mars distarão only 99 million km.
Even the naked eye, is easy to see the bright red-orange Mars. However, more accurate observations will always require a place away from urban lights and the use of binoculars or spotting scopes with tripod, at least.
Only observers who use instruments with at least 15 cm aperture (diameter of the lens) will be able to view details of the Martian surface as the ice caps and dust storms.
Even the naked eye, is easy to see the bright red-orange Mars. However, more accurate observations will always require a place away from urban lights and the use of binoculars or spotting scopes with tripod, at least.
Only observers who use instruments with at least 15 cm aperture (diameter of the lens) will be able to view details of the Martian surface as the ice caps and dust storms.
Major approaches
On August 27, 2003 Mars and Earth were closer to each other than at any other time in almost 60 thousand years. At that time the distance between our world and the Red Planet was only 55,780,000 kilometers. Except for the Moon, Mars was the brightest object in the entire night sky for several weeks.
The opposition was earlier on June 13, 2001, but was on June 21 when the distance was minimal: about 68 million kilometers. This peculiarity is due to the slight slope that exists between the orbits of Mars and Earth – which means that the minimum distance between two planets can occur days before (or after) the opposition.
What is likely to happen again?
Mars was very close during the opposition perihelic September 1956 (56.7 million kilometers) from August 1971 (56.2 million kilometers) and September 1988 (59.2 million kilometers).
So far the year 3000 will happen 15 perihelic oppositions. The best one will be in 2729, when Mars will be 55,651,000 kilometers from the Earth (rather than 2003). The next perihelion opposition takes place in July 2018.
source: scienceray.com
