An e-mail making its way through cyberspace proclaiming that
this month Mars will be the closest it’s been in thousands of years
is nothing but cosmic poppycock. But the annual Perseid meteor
shower is the real deal and will climax over the next week.
Hollister – An e-mail making its way through cyberspace proclaiming that this month Mars will be the closest it’s been in thousands of years is nothing but cosmic poppycock. But the annual Perseid meteor shower is the real deal and will climax over the next week.
This weekend the Perseid meteor shower swings into high gear and sky-watchers can catch anywhere from 50 to 100 shooting stars fall over an hour period, said David Baumgartner, amateur astronomer and board member at the Fremont Peak Observatory.
The climax will be Aug. 13, and the public is welcome to make the trek up to the observatory after 9pm to watch the heavenly fireworks, he said.
“It’s great,” he said, “especially if you have any kids half-way interested in astronomy.”
While the Perseid shower will promise a show over the next couple weeks, an e-mail pervading Internet users’ mailboxes proclaiming that Mars will appear as big as the moon late this month is hogwash, said Greg Laughlin, University of California, Santa Cruz astronomy professor.
“That Internet thing is totally out to lunch,” he said.
The e-mail also claims that Mars hasn’t been this close in 5,000 years, and it could be as long as 60,000 years before it ever happens again.
But because Mars is approximately 40 million miles away from Earth, and the moon is only 250,000 miles away, the two objects will never be of a comparable size to the human eye, Laughlin said.
“It never gets large enough that you can see the discs with your naked eye,” he said. “It just looks like a bright star that doesn’t twinkle.”
Although the Internet’s claims are incorrect, Laughlin said roughly every two years Earth passes Mars up on the inside orbital track, and between now and October or November we’re at the closest point to Mars.
While attending an observatory, such as the one atop Fremont Peak, is always sure to give a heavenly view of the planets and other astrological spectacles, Laughlin said anyone can get a fine view of the Red Planet from their backyard.
The best time to view Mars will be around 5am when it’s still dark. It can also be viewed on the horizon around midnight, he said.
And while a pair of peepers will suit you just fine, a telescope or good pair of binoculars ostensibly enhances the view, he said.
“Look to the south and fairly high up in the sky at dawn,” Laughlin said. “Mars exerts a tremendous fascination on us. Looking at a planet through a telescope, you’re actually seeing it and it’s millions of miles away. There’s something to be said for seeing it for yourself, instead of a picture from the Hubbell Telescope or a satellite.”
The Fremont Peak Observatory is located 11 miles west of San Juan Bautista. For more information call the park at (831) 623-4255.
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or
em*******@fr***********.com
