Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to re: Just when Mars

Use Halloween to educate the public on some astronomy with Mars
LJK — (archived)

You can point out the Pleiades to the left of Mars. That always intrigues the kids - and usually their parents.

Space Weather News for Oct. 29, 2005

http://spaceweather.com

ENCOUNTER WITH MARS: This weekend, Mars comes closer to Earth than it will
again for another 13 years. Rising in the east after sunset, Mars looks like an
intense pumpkin-colored star--very bright and easy to find.

A great number of people will see Mars on Halloween while outdoors Trick or
Treating. Although, technically speaking, the moment of closest approach occurs
on Oct. 30th, a day before Halloween, the difference in distance between Oct.
30th and Oct. 31st is too slight to matter. Mars will still look terrific.

OCTOPUS DUST STORM: A new dust storm has erupted on Mars, big and bright enough
to see through backyard telescopes. Some longtime observers say it's the most
intense they've ever seen. On Oct. 28th the billowing cloud assumed the shaped
of a giant tentacled octopus. Mars is putting on quite a show.

SpaceWeather.com is supported in part by SpaceWeather PHONE:
http://spaceweatherphone.com

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