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Getting Closer to Mars Mars passed almost as close to us in 1924, 1845, and in 1766, but we didn't have the hype surrounding every natural phenomenon that we do now. It is still an incredible sight, so everyone should take a step outside and look up once it gets dark. It will appear 6 times larger and 85 times brighter than normal. There is no danger of Mars crashing in to us as it will still be 34,614,418 miles away but will be 191 million miles closer than we usually see it. According to NASA, astronomers call a close encounter with another planet "perihelic oppositions." Perihelic means Mars is near perihelion--its closest approach to the sun. (The orbit of Mars, like that of all planets, is an ellipse, so the distance between the sun and Mars varies.) Opposition means that the sun, Earth and Mars are in a straight line with Earth in the middle. Mars and the sun are on opposite sides of the sky. When Mars is at opposition and at perihelion--at the same time--it is very close to Earth. You should be able to get an impressive view of the planet with even a low power telescope or pair of binoculars. August is always a great time for star gazing in Texas. The Milky Way is the galaxy that our solar system calls home. The radial arm of this spiral galaxy made up of almost one trillion solar masses shows up as a luminous band across the summer sky. Just because the Perseid meteor shower peaked around August 13, it doesn't mean we can't see the dusty fragments from the tail of the Swift-Tuttle comet entering the earth's atmosphere for a few more weeks. This comet is supposed to pass very close to the earth in 2126 so the chances for seeing more meteors in August should continue to increase for the next 20 years or so. Those slow, bright and colorful shooting stars low on the horizon that shoot horizontally through the atmosphere are known technically as Earthgrazers.
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At least one star at night will be really big and bright in the Texas sky the next week or so. (This Article was written in 2006) On August 27, we will be closer to Mars than we've been in 60,000 years. That means that the last time we had such a good view of the red planet we were living in caves.The rusty red planet will be easy to spot high in the southern pre-dawn sky, but by 11pm it should be above the horizon enough for anyone with a clear view to see it plainly. It twinkles with an orange, reddish, or sometimes yellowish glow. It will be the brightest star in the sky, outshone by only Venus and the moon.
