Since the beginning of summer, reports began to appear on the Internet that at the end of August Mars will approach the Earth at a record close distance. Astrophysicists did not give official confirmation, but the news confidently circulated on the Internet for more than one week. We decided to find out whether this is true or just another online fake, and also tried to find out what this unique cosmic phenomenon with the impossibly beautiful name “The Great Confrontation of Mars” is?
According to unverified Internet sources, Mars is about to get so close to Earth that a double moon can be seen with the naked eye. The approach is promised on the night of August 27 - at midnight. The time zone, by the way, is not specified in the messages. The next time, according to “experts,” a similar cosmic event will occur in 2287. “To the naked eye, the planet will be visible as a full moon. It will look like two moons above the Earth,” some social network users write, while others actively “repost” these posts.
However, are these data true?
By the way, those who are waiting for the “approach of Mars” have ardent opponents who ridicule this “news.” Their main argument is that news of the approaching “multi-moon” appears on the Internet with enviable frequency every August. Indeed, people first started talking about this unusual phenomenon at the end of the summer of 2003. Since then, “Mars is coming” with enviable regularity.
We decided to turn to specialists for clarification.
Astronomer Pavel Skripnichenko immediately stated that the “news” about the approaching unique phenomenon, when two moons can be observed in the sky, is fake.
“The fact is that the orbit is not circular. From time to time the planets are closer or further away. This is a common occurrence and happens regularly,” Pavel explained. — The approach, called the opposition of Mars, occurs once every year and a half. There is still a Great Controversy. This is when the planets are as close as possible. The Great Controversy happens about once every hundred years. There is nothing supernatural or fantastic in this.”
Impressed by the photos floating around the internet, we asked if the Mars opposition really looks like two moons in the sky.
“This is all untrue. These pictures are fiction. Mars looks like an orange or red star,” Pavel said. “It’s hard to confuse him with any star.”
The astronomer explained that on the day of Mars’s opposition, or rather at night, it is visible even without special equipment. Of course, we asked where and how this phenomenon could be observed.
“In cases of opposition of Mars, no special equipment is required,” Pavel said. — The planet is visible to the naked eye. The main thing is that it is cloudless. You need to drive a little away from the city. Closer to midnight you need to look south. Mars is difficult to confuse with another planet. If you have a telescope, you can see the polar caps and details on the surface.”
But, unfortunately, the last approximation. The same confrontation of Mars took place in May 2016, and the next one, according to the website astrobel.ru, will take place on July 27, 2018. However, for those who are in the mood for romance and planning to spend the night with their eyes on the sky, we have some good news. The fact is that by the end of summer visibility becomes almost perfect. The atmosphere becomes transparent, so even an amateur telescope is able to convey the nuances of the starry sky.
Approximately every two years, the Earth and Mars, moving in their orbits, approach each other (more precisely, on average every 780 days). These events are called “oppositions”, since Mars at this time is located in the sky at a point diametrically opposite to the Sun, that is, from the point of view of an earthly observer, it is opposed to the Sun. Astronomers are waiting for these moments: during the opposition period, which lasts 2-3 months, Mars is close to Earth and its surface is most convenient to study through a telescope. If the orbits of the Earth and Mars were circular and lay strictly in the same plane, then the oppositions would occur strictly periodically (a little more than two years would pass between them) and Mars would always approach the Earth at the same distance. However, it is not. Although the orbital planes of the planets are quite close and the Earth’s orbit is almost circular, the eccentricity of the Martian orbit is quite large. Since the interval between oppositions does not coincide with either the Earth's or the Martian year, the maximum approach of the planets occurs at different points in their orbits. If opposition occurs near the aphelion of Mars' orbit (this occurs during winter in the northern hemisphere of the Earth), then the distance between the planets turns out to be quite large - about 100 million km. Oppositions near the perihelion of the Martian orbit (which occur in late summer) are much closer. If Mars and Earth come closer to a distance of less than 60 million km, then such confrontations are called great. They occur every 15 or 17 years and have always been used by astronomers to intensively observe the planet. Of exceptional interest is the opposition of 2003 - not just great, but the greatest: Mars has never come so close to the Earth in the entire history of astronomical observations! True, almost equally close oppositions of Mars were observed in 1640, 1766, 1845 and 1924 (in 1924 the distance to Mars was only 1900 km greater than in 2003). It follows from this that “almost the greatest” confrontations occur approximately once every 80 years, i.e. only once during a person’s conscious life. The closest approach of the Earth to Mars to a distance of 55,758,006 km occurred on August 27 at 9 o'clock. 52 min. Universal time (at 13:52 Moscow time). During the 2003 opposition, the diameter of Mars' disk exceeds 20" for 11 weeks from July 19 to October 4; The current generation of astronomers has never had such a long observation window. At the end of August, the apparent diameter of the disk exceeded 25", so when observed even with a simple school telescope with 75x magnification, Mars looked like the Moon to the naked eye.The Earth passes the point closest to the perihelion of Mars' orbit always at the same time of year - approximately August 28 (approximately due to the fact that the Earth year is not a multiple of a day, so the date of passage of this point varies from year to year within a day). The closer to the perihelion of the orbit of Mars the planets are in opposition, the closer they are to each other and the greater the opposition will be. (see picture). After the start of space exploration of Mars, the great oppositions lost their scientific uniqueness.
“When will Mars approach Earth?” - this question has been worrying the minds of many people at the end of summer for more than ten years in a row. Since August 2003, everyone who is not indifferent to the night sky and sensations begins to wait for the appearance of the Red Moon overhead, or even more. And every year they are visited by disappointment. Mars, however, is not to blame: its actual size exceeds lunar parameters, but, fortunately, it simply cannot approach us at such a distance as to look like a night star. Let's try to figure out why this happens. And to do this, you will have to consider the question from a scientific point of view, understand where such shocking information came from, and then answer the question: “when will Mars approach Earth?”
Wandering through the sky
Let's start from afar. The movement of the planets of the solar system is subject to certain laws. Moving through orbits and rotating around an axis is accompanied by a slow displacement of the latter and a slight “swing” of the cosmic body. In order to understand this process, you can imagine a spinning top. For an observer on earth, all these phenomena look somewhat different than in the vastness of space. The planets move across the sky, sometimes ahead of, sometimes catching up with the Sun. Over the course of a year or several years, their size and brightness may change.
Forward and reverse movement
All planets are usually divided into external, or upper, and internal, or lower. The first are located behind the second - closer to our home to the Sun (Mercury and Venus). The outer planets include Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Their movement has certain characteristics for an earthly observer. So, it changes at a certain moment from forward to backward. When, for example, Mars is visible in the western sky some time after sunset, it moves in the same direction as the Sun. This is called forward motion. The star has a higher speed than Mars, so sooner or later it will catch up with the Red Planet. The phenomenon is called “conjunction with the Sun.” The luminary finds itself between the planet and the Earth. Mars will now be visible in the east. For an observer on Earth, its forward motion will slow down, then the planet will stop and “run” in the opposite direction. A backward movement will occur.
Confrontation
Moving in the opposite direction, the planet describes an arc from east to west. An important point is located approximately in the middle of it. Its name is opposition. It corresponds to the location of the Earth clearly between the Sun and, for example, the same Mars. The planet is opposed to the star. It is important that at such a moment the distance from the Earth to it decreases greatly. So-called great confrontations occur with a certain periodicity. They are characterized by the maximum possible decrease in the distance separating two cosmic bodies. It was on such a day in 2003 that Mars approached Earth. Photos depicting two moons in the sky were also timed to coincide with it, but did not reflect reality.
How it was
The so-called Mars hoax began in 2003 with email messages. They said: On August 27, the Red Planet will come so close to the Earth that it will look like a second Moon. Relevant photographs flooded the Internet. The day when Mars would approach Earth at such a record-breaking distance was eagerly awaited by many. However, soon after the first such reports appeared, the information contained in them was refuted by scientists.
Small mistake
The emails appeared to convey either a translation error or a misunderstanding of the official announcement of a real astronomical event. On August 27, 2003, the distance between Earth and Mars was supposed to be the minimum in the last few thousand years. On the day of the great opposition, the Red Planet through a telescope with a magnification of 75 times could be seen the same as with the naked eye. The message said that Mars will become 75 times larger and will look like a night star on a full moon.
Scientists, commenting on this information, draw attention to the fact that the diameter of the Red Planet is twice that of the satellite. It also overtakes the Moon in mass. Moreover, the distance between Earth and Mars varies from 55 to 400 million km, depending on their relative location. On the one hand, at such a distance, the Red Planet can only equal or slightly exceed Sirius in brightness in the sky. On the other hand, if Mars approaches us at such a distance as to be the size of the Moon, its gravity will cause serious disasters on Earth, that is, it is unlikely that any people will be able to admire it.
Movement of Mars and Earth
It should be noted that confrontations between our planet and the Red Planet occur every two years or so. The Earth at this moment finds itself between Mars and the Sun, the distance between the two neighbors is reduced. Great confrontations are rarer events. Their frequency is 15-17 years. If the orbit of Mars and the Earth were an exact circle, and the trajectories of the planets lay in the same plane, then the same time would always pass between oppositions, and the degree of rapprochement would be constant. However, it is not. The Earth is close to a circle, but the orbit of Mars is elongated, and they are located at a slight angle to each other. As a result, during opposition, both planets are at a new point each time, and the distance between them changes.
Closest approach
If Mars and Earth converge at the moment when the Red Planet is located near its aphelion, then the distance between them is about 100 million km. This usually happens during winter in the Northern Hemisphere. If the opposition occurs at the moment Mars passes perihelion, the distance is much less. Great encounters are those when the planets are separated by less than 60 million km. One of them happened on August 27, 2003. The distance between the planets then decreased to 55,758,006 km. According to scientists, such a rapprochement has not occurred for several thousand years. There were great confrontations in 1640, 1766, 1845 and 1924, only slightly smaller than those of 2003.
In the future, equally close passages of the two planets are expected in 2287 and 2366. and several more times until the end of the millennium. These days, like August 27, 2003, Mars will be visible to the naked eye: a small reddish dot in the east after sunset.
Value for science
Since the invention of the telescope, Earth-Mars oppositions have been used to study the Red Planet. It was on such a day in 1877 that astronomer Asaph Hall discovered two satellites, which were later named Phobos and Deimos. During the confrontation, Giovanni Schiaparelli examined dark spots on Mars, which he designated as seas and bays. And although it is known for sure that the Red Planet cannot boast of liquid water, the scientist’s terminology is still used.
Now oppositions are less valuable for studying Mars, since most of the information comes from interplanetary stations and vehicles that have reached the surface of the Red Planet (Mars rovers). However, they are important for the implementation of other projects.
Flight to Mars
Today there are several projects for manned flights to the Red Planet. Naturally, for such purposes it is best to use the time of maximum approach of the two planets. In this case, flight costs and flight time are reduced.
The great confrontation of 2003 did not go unnoticed by scientists. On this day, several interplanetary stations were sent to Mars. In 2018, when the two cosmic bodies are again very close to each other, the United States is planning a test flight of a rocket that will carry astronauts to Mars in 2030. Calculating such expeditions is not an easy task. For a successful flight, it is necessary to take into account a lot of factors, including the time of maximum approach of the planets and the speed at which they move away from each other.
One of the projects is the flight of astronauts without their return in order to explore the Red Planet and create conditions for the life of other “Martians” on it. This is exactly what NASA plans to implement in the 30s of this century. Thus, one of the days when Mars approaches the Earth at a minimum distance may become the date when one of the wildest fantasies of writers of the last century will come true: the start of human colonization of neighboring planets. And our neighbor will become the first cosmic body after the Moon that people have visited.
Instructions
Venus is the third brightest object in the sky after the Sun and the Moon; it has been seen by every person who has ever looked at the morning or evening sky. Venus is visible as a bright star appearing early in the evening after sunset or in the morning when dawn is already visible. For some time it is the only star visible to the naked eye in the sky; other stars are not visible in such lighting. Sometimes this planet can be seen even during daylight hours, when the Sun is shining in the sky - most often this happens in spring or summer, when Venus is higher above the horizon than in autumn and winter.
Jupiter is slightly less bright than Venus, but is also clearly visible. In appearance, it is a bright yellow large star, which is especially visible during opposition, that is, when the planet is closest to Earth. Jupiter appears almost immediately after dark, sometimes even at dusk. Two hours after sunset, this planet is best visible (besides the Moon), since Venus no longer shines. And late at night, Jupiter rises high in the sky from the southern side. Jupiter is difficult to confuse with an ordinary star; it is too large and bright and stands out with its characteristic yellow color.
Saturn and Mars are most often confused with stars when they are at their furthest distance from Earth. Saturn is simply too far away and Mars is not too big, making them difficult to spot in the sky. However, when they are closer to Earth, they can be seen. But don't try to find them close to dawn or just after sunset, their time is deep night.
Everything according to the zodiac constellations. It is well known that there are only twelve of these constellations. There is an unaccounted constellation Ophiuchus, in which our Sun resides at the end of autumn and beginning of winter, and bright planets can be found in it at this time. By the way, this is precisely why you need to look for them in the zodiac constellations, but not in Orion, Ursa Major or Pegasus.
The planets of our system can be divided into external and internal. Inner planets are planets that are closer to the Sun than Earth. There are only two of them, Venus and Mercury. But all the rest are usually classified as outer planets. The inner planets can only be seen in the morning or evening sky, while the outer planets can be seen throughout the night.
The solar system is located at the very edge of the Galaxy and includes several large celestial bodies. Until recently, it was generally accepted that there were nine planets revolving around the Sun in different orbits. In 2006, Pluto was deprived of this status, moving to the category of dwarf planets. Earth is the third planet in the solar system, counting from the central luminary.
Structure of the Solar System
The planetary system, called the Solar system, includes the central luminary - the Sun, as well as many space objects of different sizes and status. This system was formed as a result of the compression of a cloud of dust and gas more than 4 billion years ago. Most of the solar planet's mass is concentrated in the Sun. Eight large planets orbit the star in nearly circular orbits located within a flat disk.
The inner planets of the solar system are considered to be Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars (in order of distance from the Sun). These celestial bodies are classified as terrestrial planets. Next come the largest planets - Jupiter and Saturn. The series is completed by Uranus and Neptune, located farthest from the center. Orbiting the dwarf planet Pluto at the very edge of the system.
Earth is the third planet in the solar system. Like other large bodies, it revolves around the Sun in a closed orbit, subject to the gravitational force of the star. The sun attracts celestial bodies to itself, preventing them from approaching the center of the system or flying away into space. Together with the planets, smaller bodies - meteors, comets, asteroids - rotate around the central star.
Features of planet Earth
The average distance from Earth to the center of the solar system is 150 million km. The location of the third planet turned out to be extremely favorable from the point of view of the emergence and development of life. The Earth receives a tiny amount of heat from the Sun, but this energy is quite enough for living organisms to exist within the planet. On Venus and Mars, the closest neighbors of the Earth, conditions in this regard are less favorable.
Among the planets of the so-called terrestrial group, the Earth stands out for its greatest density and size. The composition of the local atmosphere, which contains free oxygen, is unique. The presence of a powerful hydrosphere also gives the Earth its originality. These factors have become one of the main conditions for the existence of biological forms. Scientists believe that the formation of the internal structure of the Earth still continues due to tectonic processes occurring in its depths.
The Moon, its natural satellite, is located in close proximity to the Earth. This is the only space object that people have visited to date. The average distance between the Earth and its satellite is about 380 thousand km. The lunar surface is covered with dust and rocky debris. There is no atmosphere on the Earth's satellite. It is possible that in the distant future the territory of the Moon will be developed by earthly civilization.
Approaches of our planets or oppositions occur on average once every two years, since Mars has a longer orbit. In addition, the Martian orbit is more elongated than ours, so in different years, at the moment our planets meet, the distance between them varies. In the years when it is minimal, the so-called "Great Controversies"
One such Great Opposition was on August 27, 2003, when Mars came within 55 million km or 34.85 million miles of Earth.
It was then that the Martian hoax was born, which can be considered the most effective campaign for popularizing observational astronomy. Although everyone who expected to see Mars the size of the Moon was deceived, the hoax lives on to this day, now in its 11th year.
I wouldn’t even start this topic, but people ask in the comments on VKontakte, journalists write, friends ask again...
Therefore I answer: no! The messages that are still floating around the Internet contain a critical error: three zeros are missing. They promise Mars at a distance of 34.85 thousand miles, but in reality it was 34.85 million miles. And only in 2003.
In 2014, the closest approach to Mars took place on April 14, when it passed 92 million km from us. The opposition took place six days earlier (due to the elliptical orbit of Mars).
At this moment, Mars was approximately twice as far away as it was on August 27, 2003. Those. 11 years ago this star was several times brighter. I'm sure only very experienced astronomers would notice the difference.
Well, and finally, a little banal mathematics.
The diameter of Mars is 6800 km, the diameter of the Moon is 3480 km. The Moon is 380 thousand km (238 thousand miles) away, or 6.8 times further than the promised Mars. Thus, Mars at a distance of 34.85 thousand miles, when viewed from Earth, will be about 14 times larger than the Moon. Or like this:
And one more thing: such rapprochements do not happen IMMEDIATELY. For example, comets approach for months, the largest and brightest of them become visible over the course of weeks: first they approach, then they move away. Thus, if on August 27th Mars could become the size of the Moon, then on August 26th it would be 3/4 of the Moon, on August 25th it would be half the Moon, on August 24th it would be 1/4 the Moon, and so on .
I will not say anything about earthquakes, eruptions, tsunamis and other cataclysms that would be caused by the gravitational interaction of our planets at such a distance.
Returning to the real world, we note that since April 14, the distance between our planets has been constantly growing, the Earth is rapidly running away from its red neighbor. Now the distance between us is approximately 204 million km.
What should those who want to see exactly Mars and exactly August 27 do? Wait until evening, find a taller building in the city with windows facing southwest. Mars will rise today around 14:00 and, of course, will not be visible during the day. There is a chance to catch it only before sunset - around 21:00-22:00 near the horizon, where it will be paired with Saturn. They can be distinguished by color: Mars is orange, Saturn is yellow.
The program can help in searching for Mars in the sky Stellarium . For smartphones and tablets, you can purchase or download special astronomical applications: StarWalk iPhone, StarWalk iPad, Google Sky Map . They're useful for more than just viewing Mars. There is always something interesting to be found in a clear night sky, and the further away you are from big cities, the more you can find.
Clear skies!