Mars will make its closest approach to Earth for almost 60,000 years at the end of August. Dr Robin Catchpole, senior astronomer at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, London, explains how to witness the event.
Every 26 months, the Earth overtakes Mars on the inside track as they both orbit the Sun.
Every 15 to 17 years, this happens when Mars is closest to the Sun.
On 27 August this year they will pass at a distance of 55,760,000 km or 0.3727 AU (1 AU is the distance of the Earth from the Sun), closer than any time during the last 60,000 years.
MORE AT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3093693.stm--
Just an interesting bit of information for the astronomically inclined.
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
