Did You See It? Odd Light Near the Moon | Golden Skate

Did You See It? Odd Light Near the Moon

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Ladskater

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Did You See It? Odd Light Near the Moon

I thought you science types might enjoy this article!

If you happen to look up at the night sky this week, you may see a weird, glowing dot of light next to the moon. What IS it? It's Mars. Don't say you never get to see anything cool. Mars and Earth are moving closer together over the next few weeks, and on August 27, the two planets will be the closest they have been since 60,000 and 73,000 years ago. And you can witness it. Call it a close encounter of the Mars kind.

Don't worry about a planetary collision. Mars and Earth will still be about 35 million miles apart, which is much closer than the usual distance of about 60 million miles. MyWebPal.com explains it: "The planets pass so close this year because both orbit the Sun in paths that are not perfectly circular. These close encounters are called 'perihelic oppositions,' meaning that the Sun, Mars, and Earth are in a straight line with Earth in the middle as Mars makes its closest approach to the Sun." On the night of July 16, sky watchers in the Caribbean, Florida, Central America, and northwestern South America could see the Moon eclipse Mars, a truly rare spectacle.

Typically, it's difficult to see Mars, and since it's so faint we often mistake it for just another star. Each night Mars will get brighter. Look for it in the southeastern sky in the late evening. You'll find it easily if the sky is clear. Look for the Moon. The other bright object near it glowing bright orange is Mars. If you have a backyard telescope, set it up. Some amateur astronomers report being able to see the solar polar cap of Mars! Don't wait until August to get outside and look up into the sky. As Mars moves closer to the Sun, dust storms will kick up on the Red Planet, which will make viewing more difficult.

Happy star gazing!

Ladskater
 
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HamiltonBrowningFan

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Re: Did You See It? Odd Light Near the Moon

Alaska never gets dark enough to see the moon in the summer :lol:
 
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