Richmond,VA Not Star Wars but Star related.

I got this email from one of my favorite bands 30 seconds to mars. This is really a cool thing..I didn't even know about till this email.
The Red Planet rises!

MARS

We will never see this again in our lifetime

...nor will the people of the next 50-to-100 lifetimes!

The Red Planet is about to be spectacular!

This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again.

The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification...

Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye .

Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.

By the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That's pretty convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month.

Share this with your children and grandchildren.

NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN

 

Ah, a hoax has reared its ugly head.

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/mars-earth-close.html
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_mars_encounter_2006.htm

This is a re-send of 2003 information. The oscillating orbits of Mars and Earth did, in fact, bring the two planets closer together on August 27, 2003 than at any other time during the past 50,000 years. Though Mars never actually appeared "as large as the full moon" -- not even close -- for a time it was indeed the brightest object in the night sky. We are not so lucky in 2006.

 

dohhhh!!!! I can't believe that a band would put out something like that. I mean it does go with their name but..come one. Thanks derth for not making me look to stupid.