STARRY NIGHTS
by Gary Boyle
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August 25, 2003
SEEING THE RED PLANET
For the next few weeks telescopes around the world will be spying on Mars. Commonly referred as the red planet, Mars attains its closest approach to the earth in the last 60,000 years on the morning of August 27, 2003. At that point in time our worlds will be separated by 55,758,006 kilometers.
If you do not own a telescope don't worry. You can easily spot it with the unaided eye. Simply step outside on the next clear night around 9:00 p.m. and look low in the southeast sky. Mars appears as a bright orange dot. As the night progresses the eastern sky rises higher and higher. Now the planet seems brighter as we are looking through less atmosphere.
Mars is the fourth planet from the sun. It orbits the sun in about two years compared to our one year. Every twenty-six months our planets come close together. This approach is the closest since the year 57617 B.C. when it was 55,718,000 kilometers. Even at this mammoth distance any telescope will reveal the Martian southern white ice cap. Moderate size instruments will show subtle land masses. Our next closest approach will occur on November 7, 2005 when Mars will lie some 69,420,000 from us.
It is these times of perihelion or perigee (closest approach) we can examine fine surface detail. Thirteen months from now when Mars is at apogee (farthest point) it will be eight times the distance it is now or about 450 million kilometers from us. The red planet will appear as a tiny orange speck and too small to see any detail. By comparison, backup about four meters from your computer monitor and try to read the rest of this text.
Another concern of seeing these illusive markings are the Martian dust storms. During the June 21, 2001 approach - a vicious dust storm raged across the entire planet. Mars looked like an orange billiard ball void of detail. The Martian weather is different from ours. Although it has no cloud structure it does produce wind. A bluish frost is also seen in the morning around sunrise. Dust particles on Mars are as fine as talcum powder. Whipped up by 200 to 300 km/hr winds, you now have a recipe for optical disaster. So far things are quite in our neighbour's skies.
Mars has always held its place with science fiction. During a favourable close up in 1877, the Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli described streaks on the surface as "canali". Thinking this meant "canals" it gave people a false impression that this planet had roadways of a distant civilization. With this thought of beings living on another world most likely launched the ideas of Martians.
Measuring only half the size of earth it holds many secrets. Topping this list is the possibility of life. Large bodies of water once flowed through mighty canyons but no more. Scientists believe that the water is now situated under the permafrost. If so how and why did this occur? Water is an important factor in the creation and preservation of life on earth. It is needless to say what would happen on earth if we lost this valuable resource.
Mars is the only planet man can land on to explore. Venus is shrouded in clouds has a caustic atmosphere with blistering temperatures of 450°C. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are enveloped in gas to which we have never seen their surfaces.
Our species is a curious type. Within the next few decades we will see a manned mission to Mars. Mind you robot ships have been deployed to the Martian terrain, but until we physically measure, secure samples and bang on its surface, we are not satisfied.
Unlike the early Apollo moon missions which took a crew only four days to reach its target, this trip would take sevens months to reach the red world and this is when we are at perigee. If needed, any form of a rescue ship would in vain.
So far this planet is in our reach. Compared to the vast distances of stars, Mars is a walk in the cosmic park. Using the same type of propulsion a ship would take 30,000 years to reach our closest star Proxima Centarus at 4.3 light years from us. A light year equals 10 trillion kilometres.
Do not wait too long to view this mysterious world. As earth overtakes Mars on the 27th the separation will increase and within a month or so will appear smaller and a bit dimmer.
