Last update: 08/12/2014

No, they won't see it. This is a hoax that was spread by email in 2003. As stated then, August 27, 2003 will look bigger. Since then, rumors of unusual natural phenomenon emerge annually with the onset of August.

“Firstly, the distance from our planet to Mars, even during periods of closest approach, is 50-60 million kilometers, and not 34,650 miles, or 55,760 kilometers, as indicated in the newsletter about the unusual expected phenomenon. Secondly, although the radius of the red planet is twice the radius of the Moon, Mars is almost a hundred times farther from Earth than the satellite of our planet! The significant distance of Mars from the Earth naturally affects its visibility: we see only a red shining point in the sky even at the moments of Mars’ closest approach to the Earth. This year, from August 24 to August 30, Mars is visible only in the mornings, and its brightness is +1.6m, which is approximately similar to the brightness of the stars of the Big Dipper. For comparison, the brightness of the Moon at full moon is −12.74m,” said employee of the Moscow Planetarium Lyudmila Koshman.

Every two years, Mars reaches a point in its orbit called “opposition.” At this moment, the Red Planet is located in the sky directly opposite the Sun, that is, from the point of view of an earthly observer, Mars is opposed to the Sun.

In 2003, Mars actually came record close to Earth, at its closest distance since 57,617 BC. Such a rapprochement of the planets will be observed again only in 2287.

In April 2014, the distance between Mars and Earth became the minimum over the past six years (since December 2007) and amounted to 92 million kilometers. Our planets will approach approximately the same distance on May 22, 2016.

The next approach will take place in 2018, and then Mars will approach Earth by 57 million kilometers.

Could Mars Look Bigger Than the Moon?

No, it can't. If Mars were to come close enough for such an event to occur, its gravity would have a catastrophic effect. The diameter of Mars is twice the diameter of the Moon. This means that in order to have the same apparent size, it must be at a distance twice as great from the Earth as the Moon. Having nine times large mass, it would exert its gravity on the Earth about twice as strongly as the Moon.

Sunset on Mars May 19, 2005. A photo of the Spirit rover, which was located in the Gusev crater. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / NASA

How does the distance between Mars and Earth change?

The distance between Earth and Mars is constantly changing. The planets are located at the minimum distance from each other when the Earth is between the Sun and Mars. During this period, the distance between the planets is from 55 to 100 million km. The distance reaches its maximum value when the Sun is between the Earth and Mars. In this case, the planets are at the most distant points of their orbits, and the distance between them is approximately 400 million km.

Quite a long time ago the entire Internet was filled with articles aboutclose approach of Mars to Earth. It is even indicated exact time, when the planet Mars approaches the Earth and that, supposedly, in the night sky it will be the brightest luminary along with the Moon.

Here's what they write:

"On August 27 at 00:30 in the night sky, everyone will be able to see an unusual sight. The planet Mars will pass only 34.65 thousand/34.65 million miles (55 thousand km/55 million km.) from the Earth. To the naked eye the planet will be visible as full moon. It will look like two moons above the earth! The next time Mars will be this close to Earth will not be until 2287."

From year to year, closer to August 27, hysteria on this topic is growing on the Internet. Maybe this year Mars will approach the Earth at its shortest distance?
This message is called the Martian hoax.

WHAT IS THE MARTIAN MYSTIFICATION:

Martian hoax is a hoax that occurred in 2003. An email sent to each other claimed that on August 27, 2003, Mars would appear larger than the full Moon at 75x magnification. It is not clear why, but the clarification regarding the magnification of the red planet by 75 times was happily ignored by Internet users and quoted the message without this important clarification.

In 2003, Mars actually had its smallest distance from Earth in the last 59 thousand years. After all, before this, Mars approached Earth at its minimum distance on September 24, 57617 BC, more than 59 thousand years ago! Then the distance between the planets was 55.718 million kilometers, and in 2003 it was a little more - 55.758 million kilometers.

At the same time, in Martian hoax the distance indicated was about a thousand times less than the real one. After all, a distance of 34 thousand miles is less than from the Earth to the Moon.

In reality, on August 27, 2003, people could see the full Moon in the sky and a bright point nearby, because Mars was the brightest “star” in the sky that night.

Since then this Martian hoax pops up almost every year, and August 27, 2015 is no exception.

However, astronomers say that on August 27, 2015, Mars the size of the Moon will not be visible in the sky, because this is impossible under the circumstances that exist in the solar system. If Mars were at a distance sufficient for such an event, its gravity would have a devastating effect on our planet.

The diameter of Mars is approximately twice the diameter of our satellite. This means that in order to have approximately the same apparent size in the sky, the red planet must be at a distance twice the distance from the Earth to the Moon.
It should be taken into account that Mars has nine times more mass than the Moon. He would influence blue planet Its gravity is twice that of the Moon. This would have caused unprecedented cataclysms on our planet.

P.S. I would like to note that many people are looking forward to a similar event that happens almost every year - the Supermoon. This is the full moon when the Moon is closest to the Earth. At the same time, the lunar ball visually appears much larger than usual. In 2015, this event will occur a little more than a month later than the Martian hoax, so we are waiting Supermoon 2015.

"Supermoon(in English SuperMoon ) - this is the phase of the full moon (full moon), during which the lunar ball in the visual sky appears much larger than during normal full moons. According to NASA measurements, the lunar disk is increasing by about 15% and brightening by about 30%.

The astronomical phenomenon, which is a new or full moon that coincides with the Moon being at perigee - the point of its orbit closest to the Earth - could be observed in January, February, March, and can also be observed in August, September and October of the coming year.

Scientists have calculated the dates of the 2015 supermoons

The first supermoon was seen on January 20, 2015, when a new moon appeared in the sky. New moons on February 18 and March 20 also became supermoons. Full moons will also coincide with lunar perigee on August 29, September 28 and October 27.

The closest supermoon of 2015 will be the moon on September 28, which will approach Earth at a distance of 356,896 kilometers. Moreover, the September full moon will give earthlings a full lunar eclipse, ending the series of "blood moons" that began on April 15.

Many inhabitants of our planet were sure that this summer, on August 27, at 00:30, an amazing night spectacle awaited them, since, according to rumors, it was on this August night that one of the planets solar system should have passed very close (by astronomical standards) to the Earth. Based on the same rumors, it followed that this planet would be Mars, and it would pass only 34.65 thousand miles from Earth.

“When you look into the night sky on August 27 this year, you will be able to see Mars closer than you have ever seen before. To the naked eye, the Red Planet will look like a second Moon in the sky above the Earth! The next time Mars will be so close to our planet will only be in 2287,” read messages on the Internet. However, in this and similar messages, except for the names of the planets themselves, there is not a grain of truth.

This hoax has appeared periodically on the Internet since 2003. However, this year, the “canard” that usually appears in August about the “unprecedented rapprochement of the planets” and “two moons in the sky above the Earth” was completely unique.

It is no longer news that the authors of such false “news” statements almost never indicate the year of the event, which allows them, a year or two later, to put the same news “canard” into the light again. And millions of people are once again being deceived by the claims of unnamed and unlikely to exist “scientists.”
However, the authors of the “sensation” about the rapprochement of Earth and Mars, launched in 2012, turned out to be completely unique.
Firstly, neither in 2012, nor over the next five years, on the date of August 27, the passage of the Red Planet at a minimum distance from the Earth is not expected at all. In addition, in 2012, Mars was already approaching the Earth at its minimum distance, but this was not in August, but in March.

“This hoax first spread back in 2003. Then such information was sent to users by e-mail. The author of these messages assured that on August 27, 2003, the planet Mars will approach the Earth so close that from the Earth it will look even larger than the full Moon. Since then, this incorrect information about a very unusual natural phenomenon has surfaced almost every year with the onset of August,” says a NASA specialist.

By the way, once every two years the Red Planet actually reaches a point in its orbit, which scientists call “opposition.” The reason for this name is that at this moment Mars is located in the sky directly opposite the Sun, that is, it turns out that, from the point of view of observers from Earth, the Red Planet seems to be opposed to the Sun.

When the Red Planet and Earth approach each other at a distance not exceeding 60 million kilometers, scientists call such “confrontations” great. They usually occur no more than once every fifteen years.

Secondly, the authors of the “duck” indicated a simply negligible distance between the planets - 34.65 thousand miles, and in some sources - 50 thousand miles. Let us remind readers of the “Stock Leader”: the diameter of our planet in miles is more than eight thousand. The distance from the Earth to the Moon in kilometers is 384,467 (about one and a half times less in miles). It turns out that, according to these authors, the planet Mars should be closer to the Earth in August than its satellite the Moon, which, of course, is extremely unlikely.

In fact, the minimum distance from Earth to the Red Planet is 55.76 million kilometers. Kilometers, but not miles.

Let us recall that in 2003 (the year of birth of the “duck” about the rapprochement of Earth and Mars on August 27), the Red Planet actually approached our planet at a record close distance. As scientists report, Mars has not come closer to Earth since the incredibly distant 57,617 BC. However, in some respects the authors of the August “sensation” did not lie - the repeated strong rapprochement of the two planets will really be visible only in 2287. True, the distance between the planets will still be much more than 34 or even 50 thousand miles.

As for this year, the closest Mars was to Earth in 2014 was in April (at a distance of 92 million kilometers).

Could the Red Planet Look Bigger Than the Moon?

And yet, despite the fact that today the myth about “two moons” in the August night sky above the Earth has been dispelled by experts, the correspondents of the “Stock Leader” asked scientists whether this is possible in principle.

"This is impossible. In the event that the planet Mars were to get close enough that it could appear as a second Moon in the sky above the Earth, the planet's gravity would have a catastrophic effect. The dimensions of Mars are twice the size of the earth's satellite. And it follows that in order to be visually equal in size to the Moon for earthly observers, Mars must be at a distance twice as great from the Earth as the Moon. And given the fact that the Red Planet still has a mass many times greater than the mass of the Earth’s satellite, it would have a strong impact on our planet,” the scientist explained.

However, lovers of watching the night sky should not be disappointed. Despite the fact that you won’t be able to see Mars as a “second Moon,” in August you can watch an equally beautiful spectacle - a shower of stars from the constellation Perseus - Perseids.

Quite a long time ago the entire Internet was filled with articles aboutclose approach of Mars to Earth. It even indicates the exact time when the planet Mars will approach the Earth and that, supposedly, in the night sky it will be the brightest luminary along with the Moon.

Here's what they write:

"On August 27 at 00:30 in the night sky, everyone will be able to see an unusual sight. The planet Mars will pass only 34.65 thousand/34.65 million miles (55 thousand km/55 million km.) from the Earth. To the naked eye, the planet will be visible as a full moon. It will look like two moons above the earth! The next time Mars will be this close to Earth will not be until 2287."

From year to year, closer to August 27, hysteria on this topic is growing on the Internet. Maybe this year Mars will approach the Earth at its shortest distance?
This message is called the Martian hoax.

WHAT IS THE MARTIAN MYSTIFICATION:

Martian hoax is a hoax that occurred in 2003. An email sent to each other claimed that on August 27, 2003, Mars would appear larger than the full Moon at 75x magnification. It is not clear why, but the clarification regarding the magnification of the red planet by 75 times was happily ignored by Internet users and quoted the message without this important clarification.

In 2003, Mars actually had its smallest distance from Earth in the last 59 thousand years. After all, before this, Mars approached Earth at its minimum distance on September 24, 57617 BC, more than 59 thousand years ago! Then the distance between the planets was 55.718 million kilometers, and in 2003 it was a little more - 55.758 million kilometers.

At the same time, in Martian hoax the distance indicated was about a thousand times less than the real one. After all, a distance of 34 thousand miles is less than from the Earth to the Moon.

In reality, on August 27, 2003, people could see the full Moon in the sky and a bright point nearby, because Mars was the brightest “star” in the sky that night.

Since then this Martian hoax pops up almost every year, and August 27, 2015 is no exception.

However, astronomers say that on August 27, 2015, Mars the size of the Moon will not be visible in the sky, because this is impossible under the circumstances that exist in the solar system. If Mars were at a distance sufficient for such an event, its gravity would have a devastating effect on our planet.

The diameter of Mars is approximately twice the diameter of our satellite. This means that in order to have approximately the same apparent size in the sky, the red planet must be at a distance twice the distance from the Earth to the Moon.
It should be taken into account that Mars has nine times more mass than the Moon. It would exert twice as much gravity on the blue planet as the Moon. This would have caused unprecedented cataclysms on our planet.

P.S. I would like to note that many people are looking forward to a similar event that happens almost every year - the Supermoon. This is the full moon when the Moon is closest to the Earth. At the same time, the lunar ball visually appears much larger than usual. In 2015, this event will occur a little more than a month later than the Martian hoax, so we are waiting Supermoon 2015.

"Supermoon(in English SuperMoon ) - this is the phase of the full moon (full moon), during which the lunar ball in the visual sky appears much larger than during normal full moons. According to NASA measurements, the lunar disk is increasing by about 15% and brightening by about 30%.

The astronomical phenomenon, which is a new or full moon that coincides with the Moon being at perigee - the point of its orbit closest to the Earth - could be observed in January, February, March, and can also be observed in August, September and October of the coming year.

Scientists have calculated the dates of the 2015 supermoons

The first supermoon was seen on January 20, 2015, when a new moon appeared in the sky. New moons on February 18 and March 20 also became supermoons. Full moons will also coincide with lunar perigee on August 29, September 28 and October 27.

The closest supermoon of 2015 will be the moon on September 28, which will approach Earth at a distance of 356,896 kilometers. Moreover, the September full moon will give earthlings a total lunar eclipse, completing the series of “blood moons” that began on April 15.

Science

Planet Mars won't look as big as the moon, August 27, 2014, August 27, 2015, and not even August 27, 2287.

Rumors that "two moons" will shine on the night of August 27 appear every summer with enviable consistency over the past few years.

Martian hoax began in 2004 and began to spread on the Internet under the guise of an email. According to the report, on the night of August 27, Mars will approach the Earth at its minimum distance and will be visible as large as the full Moon.

Mars August 27, 2014

The message appeared every year for seven years, and then, after slowing down a bit, it appeared again in social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Message sounds like this:

"On August 27 at 00:33, lift your eyes and look at the night sky. On this night, the planet Mars will pass only 34.65 thousand miles from Earth. To the naked eye it will be visible as two Moons above the Earth! The next time Mars will be this close to Earth will be in 2287. Share this news with your friends, as no one living on Earth has ever seen this before."

A photo that is being circulated on social media with the message that Mars will supposedly be as big and bright as the full Moon on August 27, 2014.

In addition, the message is often accompanied by a photograph of the full moon along with an incredibly large Mars. Incredible, because even at the closest approach to Earth ( 55.6 million kilometers, but not thousands) Mars will be visible to the naked eye no more than 1/72 the size of the full Moon.

Mars approaching Earth

The hoax appeared in the year when there was a truly record approach of Mars to the Earth in almost 60,000 years, and it was August 27, 2003. And although the Red Planet then looked 6 times larger than usual, its diameter in no way approached the size of the Moon, even when magnified with a telescope.

Fact 2: Over the past 6 years, Mars has come closest to Earth on April 8 and April 14, 2014, being at a distance of 92 million kilometers. At that moment, it looked no brighter than the brightest star in the night sky - Sirius, and in no way approached the size of the Moon.