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tailwind
08-02-2003, 10:02 PM
Anybody looking up tonite? Mars will be the closest in many years!
Capt. Donzi
08-02-2003, 10:05 PM
60,000 to be exact... :)
tailwind
08-02-2003, 10:09 PM
With a reasonably low powered binocular (10x35) or even (10x50), you might even
see the northern polar ice caps. This is a once in a lifetime event. It will however continue throughout the month so please enjoy!
McGary911
08-03-2003, 12:17 AM
I have a nice 7" scope and am looking forward to seeing the show. All i need now is my cloud penetrating lens.....I've seemed to misplaced it....maybe tomorrow
mattyboy
08-03-2003, 07:28 AM
way to cloudy last nite in the NE.
So I just had to watch Honeymooners re-runs
" Capt. Video space helmet on"!!!!!!!!!!!! wink :D

Matty
almighty chef of the future :p
MOP
08-03-2003, 07:41 AM
The veiwing will be good right the month with the best suppose to be around the 27th, I found the info on a mars site. They did go on to say it will be shrouded a bit as this is the dust storm season, I am wondering if it stays dusty the whole dust storm season, anyone know?
ToonaFish
08-03-2003, 11:44 AM
This is soo sweet - y'all get to view the home planet!
banfield
08-03-2003, 12:20 PM
Hi Guys,
Studying Mars is actually what I do for a living... but I've only taken a few glances at the sky recently to see Mars.... damn big and bright!

About the dust storms, they're less predictable than hurricanes on Earth. Little ones happen frequently, medium ones happen every year, but the ones that cover the whole planet only happen every few years. Last Mars year (2 Earth years ago) there was a global storm. Last month, there was a dust storm that almost grew to be global. Right now, its pretty clear again. Apparently the dust storm from last month subsided pretty quickly.

Some good sites to learn about this stuff:
Sky and Telescope (http://skyandtelescope.com/)
(Check out their Mars Profiler to know what features you're looking at when you look at Mars. There's alsoa good article about this close opposition.)

Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer Dust Page (http://emma.la.asu.edu/dust/index.html)
(This is the spacecraft and Instrument that I do alot of work with. They have nice maps of dustiness on Mars... It's pretty clear now).

By the way, I track the weather on Mars, and am building some fancy wind gauges to land on Mars eventually.

Don Banfield
22'classic '83
Formula Jr
08-03-2003, 03:52 PM
Hey Banfield, think we could put a donzi sticker on the lander? Now THAT WOULD BE COOL! :D
Shanghied Again
08-03-2003, 08:14 PM
Ok, Iam standing outside looking up its 9:10PM,
What am I looking for? I looked to the South and there is nothing there? There is a quarter moon out, sky is clear.. WOW am I missing something. :confused:
Silver Streak
08-04-2003, 10:06 AM
Poodle,

Don't do that. You'll just encourage her and no telling what she'll say next!

Rick

wink
mikev
08-04-2003, 11:02 AM
it doesnt come up till around 11 pm frank and is really bright in the morning check out www.skymaps.com (http://www.skymaps.com) and print out a map that will help you find it. I in an astronomy club check out our website that I created for it www.northgerogiaastronomers.org. (http://www.northgerogiaastronomers.org.) also for any of you guys in north georgia we are planning a big public event for the end of august to look at mars.