The Hindu : New Delhi News : Mars to come closer to Earth

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Wednesday, Dec 19, 2007
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Mars to come closer to Earth

Staff Reporter

Would be visible as the brightest object

NEW DELHI: On Wednesday, Mars will be relatively closer to Earth and would be visible to sky-watchers as the brightest object in the eastern skies after sunset.

According to Nehru Planetarium director N. Rathnasree, Mars will be closest to Earth at 5-30 a.m. on Wednesday. “About once every two years, Mars is at opposition, when its position as seen in the sky is opposite to that of the Sun. As seen from Earth, we have the Sun on one side and Mars on the other side. Around the time of opposition, the actual opposition of Mars happens on December 24.”

The Nehru Planetarium director said the brightness of Mars as seen for a few days around this date of closest approach would not appear to change so much, when viewed with the naked eyes or a moderate telescope. “Slowly, however, Mars would start moving away from opposition and the next opposition in 2010 would not bring Mars as close to Earth as it is now.”

Informing that the closest opposition in thousands of years had been in 2003, Ms. Rathnasree said since then Mars had moved slightly further away during this opposition, although closer than it would be for many future oppositions.

Movement

“In the current opposition, Mars is placed more northerly than it had been in 2003, giving better views of Mars for the Northern hemisphere viewers. Around the time of opposition, Mars makes interesting loop movement in the sky. Normally it moves relatively west to east with respect to the background stars. Around the time of opposition, it first moves retrograde (or East to West) and then moves pro grade again -- making interesting loops in the sky,” she added

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