Mars-56million km closer to earth

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In summary, the conversation discusses the upcoming close approach of Mars on 27 August, with the last time it was this close being 60,000 years ago. It also mentions a website for astronomy news and an article about the approaching planet. The conversation then veers off to discussing the possibility of Mars once covering half of Earth's sky and its missing crust. The summary concludes with a question about whether the closer distance to Mars will shorten the time it takes to travel there.
  • #1
Draco
On 27 August:smile:
Just thought you guys would like to know. The last time it was this close 60 000 years ago:wink:
This explains it all:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2003/18jun_approachingmars.htm [Broken]
www.universetoday.com is an excellent website that gives you information on what's happening in the Astronomy world!
 
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Astronomy news on Phys.org
  • #2
On 27 August

That's the peak, plus/minus a month will still be great viewing! I'm excited!

The last time it was this close 60 000 years ago

roughly (predictions of planetary positions becomes more uncertain when calculating over thousands of years)

another article...
http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/article_985_1.asp
 
  • #3
Yeah i guess you're right:smile:
It'd be even better if Mars covered half the sky on earth:smile:
 
  • #4
Originally posted by Draco
On 27 August:smile:
Just thought you guys would like to know. The last time it was this close 60 000 years ago:wink:
This explains it all:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2003/18jun_approachingmars.htm [Broken]
www.universetoday.com is an excellent website that gives you information on what's happening in the Astronomy world!

Way cool! Thanks Draco!...

Actually, Mars is missing half its crust (the northern half)... who knows what else flew off when it was bombarded with a few objects, some of which were over 100k in size... within the last 100,000 years. I would imagine that our sky was filled with the results of that explosion for a while, back then. Not as pretty as a nice close up look at her, mind you!

So... does 56,000,000 km closer mean we can knock a year or so off the time it takes to get there?
 
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1. How often does Mars come closer to Earth?

Mars and Earth have elliptical orbits around the sun, so the distance between them varies. On average, Mars comes closer to Earth every 26 months.

2. How close will Mars be to Earth when it is 56 million kilometers away?

When Mars is 56 million kilometers away, it will be at its closest distance to Earth, also known as its perihelion. This is about 34.8 million miles away from Earth.

3. What is the significance of Mars being closer to Earth?

When Mars is closer to Earth, it appears brighter and larger in the night sky. This is known as opposition, and it occurs when the sun, Earth, and Mars are in a straight line with Earth in the middle.

4. How does the distance between Mars and Earth affect space missions?

The distance between Mars and Earth can greatly impact the length and difficulty of space missions. When Mars is closer to Earth, it takes less time and fuel to travel between the two planets, making it an optimal time for launching missions.

5. Will Mars ever be closer to Earth than 56 million kilometers?

Yes, Mars can come even closer to Earth than 56 million kilometers. The closest recorded distance between the two planets was in 2003 when Mars was only 55.8 million kilometers away from Earth.

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