2003-08-27: Exploring Mars:
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- On August 27, 2003, Earth and Mars will be closer together than they have been in thousands of years. Mars will pass within 55,758,006 kilometers (34,646,418 miles) from Earth. Astronomers have calculated that the last time Earth and Mars were closer together was nearly 60,000 years ago!
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- The last people to get a closer look at Mars than this were Neanderthals!
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- Earth moves around the Sun more quickly than Mars. Every 26 months, Earth “laps” Mars on “the inside lane”. When Earth passes Mars, astronomers call the event an “opposition”. During an opposition, the Sun, Earth, and Mars form a straight line with Earth in the middle. Viewed from Earth, Mars is on the opposite side of the sky from the Sun. Opposition is the time in each 26-month cycle when Mars and Earth are closest together.
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- 8/28/2003: Saying goodbye to Mars from the beach
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- 8/23/2003: Mars — increasing its distance from Earth
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