Nilesh.org Notes on technology and everything else

Be prepared for the closest view of Mars in more than 50,000 years. Come August 27 and Mars will be the third brightest object in the sky, after Moon and Venus. Contrary to rumour mills, Mars won’t be as visible to the naked eye as the Moon. The highest magnitudes of Moon and Venus are -12.7 and -4.0 respectively (The more negative the magnitude, the brighter the object). That of Mars will be only -2.9 on August 27. However, it is said that with the help of a 75-magnitude telescope, the red planet will appear as large as the moon, an event worth capturing on my camera. That remains to be seen. Mars has had its share of urban legends, the most famous being The Other Face. Know about the position of Mars here. Check this link for all activities related to Mars in 2003. You may also want to know more about perihelic oppositions.