How to Watch the Mars Close-Up This Weekend

[MindMover]

February’s spectacular planetary show continues. After Venus and Jupiter lined up in the night sky last week, the distance between Earth and Mars is now shrinking to its smallest in more than two years.

On March 3 Mars will be in opposition to the sun, providing excellent opportunities for viewing the Red Planet.

The celestial event known as Mars opposition occurs whenever Earth passes between the sun and the Red Planet, approximately once every two years and two months. This makes Mars visible opposite the sun in the Earth’s sky, which is a great time to view the Red planet because the sun’s rays illuminate the full face of Mars. Because the two planets’ orbits regularly bring them close together, it also provides a good time to launch Mars missions such as the recent Mars Science Laboratory.

Mars and Earth will actually be at their closest on March 5, so you have a decent chance to catch the Red Planet anytime in the next few weeks.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/03/mars-closest-approach/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wiredscience+%28Blog+-+Wired+Science%29

Since I was a child, I have been fascinated with the planets,,,,,,,

[HopeHoops]

1. I know where both are. We've seen four of Jupiter's moons. Neither of Mars' yet.

They're much smaller and harder to spot - if they're even on this side of the planet. I know them when I look up while walking the dogs. They're easy to pick out. We caught the ISS once, but only for a few minutes. Bump the telescope and you're in another galaxy.

[pokerfan]

2. EarthSky

http://en.es-static.us/upl/2012/03/120227DATE12mar03-90.mp3

For us on Earth, it means the best time to see Mars in this two-year period is here. And what a sight it is! Look for Mars in the eastern sky at nightfall and early evening, in front of the constellation Leo the Lion. Leo’s brightest star, Regulus, is to the upper right of Mars when they are in the east in the evening hours. Regulus won’t come close to matching the red planet Mars in brightness, even though Regulus ranks as one of the brightest stars in our sky.



http://earthsky.org/tonight/mars-at-opposition-on-march-3-2012

[MindMover]

3. thank you

[UnrepentantLiberal]

4. Google Sky Map is great for viewing where the stars and planets are.

http://www.appbrain.com/app/sky-map/com.google.android.stardroid

I think the iPhone app for this is Star Walk.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/star-walk-5-stars-astronomy/id295430577?mt=8