(SNES) Mars at superior conjunction

[Albireo54@aol.com]

Hi Everyone, 

On this coming Sunday morning the red planet Mars will reach superior 
conjunction, passing (from our vantage point) about one degree above the disk 
of the sun. It will then be nearly 250 million miles from Earth, all the way 
across on the other side of the solar system. If it could be seen at all its 
disk would be a miniscule 3.5 arc seconds in diameter - difficult to detect 
in small telescopes. 

That's the bad news. The good news is that Mars will then begin its 54 week 
approach to the best opposition in history. On August 27th next year Mars 
will be less than 35 million miles distant and its disk will have swelled to 
over 25 arc seconds in diameter. It will be a blazing red object in our 
southern skies, and at magnitude -2.9 will outshine even mighty Jupiter 
(which will not be visible at that time). 

Observers of Mars' previous opposition (June of last year) will recall that 
it also was a very favorable one. But the planet's low position in the sky, 
combined with a dust storm that raged over its surface for months, pretty 
much ruined our views. Next year Mars will be nearly 11 degrees higher in the 
sky - about 33 degrees up when it transits at FDO - so the viewing will be 
much better, and Mars' disk will be more than 20% larger than last year. In 
fact, at a record 25.11", it will be more than half the average diameter of 
Jupiter - so astronomers of even minimal experience can anticipate just how 
stunning the views of Mars should be.  

Want to get an idea of where Mars will be in RI's skies on that historic 
night next summer? All you have to do is go out tonight at 10:00 PM and look 
at the famous M17 (The Swan Nebula) in Sagittarius. Mars will be in just that 
position in the sky at 1:05 AM on August 27th next year. I'm already getting 
excited!

Hoping you all have a great night under the stars!

:o)
Doug Stewart
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