By Angela Bolowana & Noloyiso Mchunu
Watchers of the sky and those interested in celestial bodies are in for a treat on Wednesday night when Mars will be closer to Earth than it has been in 60 000 years.
On Wednesday night Mars will be a "mere" 55,7 million kilometres away and will only be that close again in the year 2287.
According to astronomers, Mars - the third smallest planet in the universe - will be seen as a bright orange speck in the sky, shining brighter than the rest of the stars and planets.
| 'People must not expect a big thing' |
"But people must not expect a big thing because the planet is only half of Earth's diameter," said David Laney of the South African Astronomical Observatory.
Laney said the planet would be seen rising from the east from 6pm and would move further from the horizon as the night progresses.
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And the good thing is that people will not need high quality equipment to see Mars, he said.
Peter Hiscocks of the Astronomical Society said the public was invited to a viewing evening at the Marist Brothers' College on South Ridge Road in Durban. He said there would be a telescope available until Saturday if the weather was clear.
"It rises as the sun goes down and it will be just above the sea at 7pm. It will then rise until it is vertical above us. Anyone will be able to see it from anywhere you can see the north-eastern horizon."
| It will reach its zenith at midenight |
To the naked eye, it will look like an orange or slightly red star, but with a telescope one will be able to see the surface markings and the ice caps.
Professor Author Hughes of the University of Natal said Mars had been visible for a few weeks, but would be most clearly visible on Wednesday night, reaching its zenith at midnight.
"We have been fascinated with the planet for a long time and have sent a large number of spacecraft to it - at the moment we have four still visiting," said Hughes.
- This article was originally published on page 1 of The Mercury on August 27, 2003
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