Thursday, July 27, 2006

27 August, 2006 - Two moons will be visible!

An interesting mail had arrived in my offical inbox this morning from a colleague which I will like to share with you all. The text of the mail is reproduced below:
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Planet Mars will be the brightest in the night sky starting August. It will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. This will ultimate on Aug. 27 when Mars comes within 34.65M miles of Earth. Be sure to watch the sky on Aug. 27 12:30 am . It will look like The Earth has 2 Moons. Don't Miss it.

The next time Mars may come like this close only in 2287. Share this with your friends as NO ONE ALIVE TODAY will ever see it again.

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I could not confirm the veracity of this claim. All that I could ascertain was the fact that Mars will be closest to Earth on 27th and it will be visible all through the night. But contrary to the claim of the mail I had read in one site that for the month of August 2006, Mars is setting in the north-west less than an hour after sunset; we are very unlikely to see the “Red Planet” this month, or indeed for the rest of this year.

Have you heard anything on this or want to offer any coment on this.

Follow up : IT IS NOW CONFIRMED TO BE A HOAX. THANKS FOR ALL THE COMMENTS.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's a hoax I'm afraid. The event already happened in 2003.

http://www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/blog/?p=67

Anonymous said...

OF course we saw Mars in 2003, but was it as big as the full moon to us? NO. It was a bright red star. And you will not be able to see Mars this big after August/early september because as the time passes, we are rotating around the sun, and before too long, we won't see it again. You guys really need to pay more attention and use common sense. So, NOOOO this didn't happen in 2003.

Anonymous said...

YES I' am telling you the planet Mars will be as big as an orange ! It will be like two moons in the sky with flocs of flying pigs!!!! And George Bush will be cooll!

Fortunately its an hoax, just use your brain and imagine what the concequences of Mars coming so close to Earth. Sunamis, earth quakes... how romantic. Don't forget you camera!!!

Ten again some believe everything they hear or see on TV

alwayswright: stop reading your comics!