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Mars makes people see red

Posted on: Saturday, 23 August 2003, 06:00 CDT

Mars may be pretty close right now, but just wait until next week.

By Wednesday, the Red Planet will come as near to Earth as it has been in 60,000 years. Amateur astronomers and NASA scientists alike are taking advantage of this close encounter.

For the next several days, Earth-bound telescopes will be trained on Mars, which will be a mere stone's throw away in astronomical terms -- 34.6 million miles. NASA has a pair of probes on their way to Mars, taking advantage of the relatively narrow gulf.

"It's literally the brightest thing in the night sky," said Patrick Wiggins, NASA's solar system ambassador to Utah. "It's like a beacon."

The Red Planet is so bright that anyone walking around downtown Salt Lake City late at night can spot the planet with the naked eye. But the best viewing calls for high-end telescopes to see anything more than a reddish dot in the sky. Cheaper telescopes are liable to turn Mars into an orange blob, Wiggins said.

Several Mars viewing events to be held across the state in the coming days will offer chances to peek at the Red Planet through powerful telescopes.

Salt Lake City's Clark Planetarium focused its "Universe Tonight" star shows for the next few weeks on the Red Planet in honor of next week's historic event, said Seth Jarvis, planetarium director.

"It's honestly the most interesting thing in the sky to talk about," he said. "You can't not see Mars."

Jarvis noted that usually only the sun and the moon are able to outshine Mars in the sky. At its peak, Venus can shine brighter than the Red Planet.

While 34.6 million miles is still a significant chunk of space, Mars and Earth are 28 million miles closer than they were 20 years ago, he said. At the moment, the planets are moving toward each other at 5,000 mph.

The Red Planet will continue to be a prominent feature in Utah's night skies, even after its closest pass next week. Mars will shine extra brightly through September into October.

By the time Mars begins to fade, Utahns will have another way to enjoy the planet. The Clark Planetarium will host a three-month NASA exhibit on Mars starting in October. Details from old and new missions to Mars will be on display.

NASA this year launched two robotic geologists toward Mars. The rovers, each destined for a different landing spot early next year, will seek signs of water. ATK Thiokol Propulsion and ATK Composites in northern Utah built the booster rockets that helped launch the rovers.

These days, for Utah viewers, Mars is rising between 10 and 10:30 p.m. to the southeast. Mars can be spotted due south by about 2 a.m.

To the naked eye, Mars will appear as approximately the size of a crater on the moon, Wiggins said. Details, such as the planet's polar caps, will be only visible through quality equipment.

Added Jarvis: "Anyone with a telescope will be looking at Mars."

glavine@sltrib.com

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