Trisha,

Just ran an ephemeris on mars to get the actual facts about this year’s apparition. Mars will be at opposition (Directly opposite the earth from the sun) on Nov 7^th @ 0325. On this night it will rise at sunset, transit (pass due south) at midnight and set at sunrise. It will be 43,728,600 miles from Earth, which is a bit farther than the 35,000,000 or so at it‘s last opposition in 2003. That is the event referred to in you original post. And it was indeed the closest Mars has approached the earth in about 50 some odd million years. Take it from me even at that opposition with magnification it won’t look as big as a full moon. This years it’s diameter is 19.92 arcseconds, vs. the moons 1800 arc seconds. In 2003 it reach a diameter of about 25 arcseconds. Currently you can see mars in the early morning hours in the east. Find the Great Square of Pegasus and follow the two stars in opposite corners that point straight up & down. Go down about the same distance as those stars are apart and you will see Mars.

Now for the shameless plug, My Astronomy Club (the Saguaro Astronomy Club) will be hosting two public events in October & November. Oct 8th at Thunderbird Park in Glendale (plenty o’caches in there, if you haven’t been) and Nov 5^th at Dreamy Draw. Contact me off list for details if you’re interested (As it seems several of you may be)  

Clear Skies

Rick Tejera

Editor SACnews (and Geocacher)

Saguaro Astronomy Club

Phoenix, Arizona

saguaroastro@cox.net

www.saguaroastro.org