' Spectacular ' hoax continue to Fool email readers

Astronomy teacher here at the National Air and Space Museum, such as had the opportunity to thousands of visitors, in particular our Public observatory interactively. I enjoy many opportunities in the universe miracles and the visitors of astronomy questions. However, I usually dread in August with mars hoax internet e-mail e-mail program has been piinaa seven years.

The e-mail is commonly referred to as "Mars Hoax" or more precisely, "Mars" and headed the breath-taking: "two moons 27 day or Red Planet event is great!"

It shall inform the beneficiaries that mars has a very close encounter during August, with an August 27th Earthilla is mars around 34 million miles away. The information in the previous sentence was only true in August 2003. Dramatic Astronomical event. Mars was mainly it would have been the Earth 60000 years. However, this already happened.

Before you receive the e-mail opposite, misinformation, let's talk about what really happens when the Earth, and mars is close to the face. Imagine two people running around the race track. One person shall act in accordance with the second Innermost outermost lane is running the Strip. Runner on the inside, the lane ratakierrokseen one faster than another person. This is similar to the Earth and mars ' Orbits Sunday Earth takes about 365 days around the Sun even if mars ratakierrokseen complete belt 687 days. If the runners still in progress, eventually the inside runner (Earth) bridge runner outside (mars). When this occurs, it is called the opposition of the solar system. It also means that mars is opposite the Sun the Earth's sky. The application for registration of a mars occurs about two years. The last three were 7.November 2005, 24. December 2007, and most recently on 29. January 2010.

Argument occurs when the country in the middle of the alignment of the Sun, Earth and mars.This phenomenon, which takes place every two years, that country and mars relatively close to each other. the following chart shows the four recent arguments and two future comments. 2003 claim was significant, because mars was very close to the perihelion point-, it is closest to the Sun's orbit. At that time, mars became miles of 35 million. Mars is almost close again in the course of the argument in 2018 at the part-session in July.

Why was mars opposition in 2003 so special? Most of the mark applied for will lead to an increase in the Earth, and mars between 34-63 million miles. This is mainly due to the mars ' elliptical orbit. All planetary Orbits are slightly elliptical meaning planet distance of the Sun changes when it moves it in orbit.When it is, in essence, it is called perihelion "and" when "," which is farthest from the aphelion. Mars ' orbit is more than a year of the Earth's elliptical 15-17 mars is or very close to, its perihelion point in the same way as the Earth "catches" mars.This will bring two planets in particular close to each other. In 2003 this perihelic opposition occurred August-27 mars, which is closest to the Sun and the Earth close to its most distant from the Sun. This combination brought the country and mars unusually close to each other. Due to the country and mars had 34.6 million miles apart; the closest they had been 60000 years.

If you missed this historic event, you may be Wondering what mars was sky in August 2003. Mars Spectacular for the latest versions of mars have e-mail "equal to the moon with the naked eye."This is huge! No wonder people are still in time for all this e-mail forwarding, they know. However, the original e-mail message is found, "At modest 75 power magnification mars appear as large as the full Moon to the eye."This is more or less true, only misleading. It refers to how mars may appear, if a 75 times a telescope eyepiece. To see all of the particulars to be entered in the Martian surface instead of large red, fuzzy blob, one would be through peer review objective mirror or greater than 8 inches lens Telescope; much greater than what the heart of Paris, a Telescope to sell.

27. August 2003, mars appeared bright star in the sky at night.It Also records during the approach to appear as large or as the full Moon clear. Photo credit: Nemy & Carol John Whistler, BC, legate

Mars appeared to the naked eye, bright, reddish, star-like object 2003 opposition. It was twice Sirius, the brightest star in the sky at night, but not quite as bright as Venus appears bright this month. Full Moon compared to mars was only 1/75 size – certainly not another Moon sky. For those who are likely to forward e-mail messages do not explore the Spectacular Mars appearing that mars impact high.Mars is about twice the size of our Moon.Is shall be so located as to twice the distance (in miles 480,000) appear the same size – should never Earth closer to 33 million miles. Mars appear to us-the second moon ", if something has gone terribly wrong the inner solar system or with physics.

Some mail is called "Mars" in the form of Spectacular versions of PowerPoint presentation.This particularly (and completely, you can keep) slide is an advanced, arguing that mars is displayed as large as the full Moon modest telescope through misleading statement.

Mars Spectacular e-mail still on the road.I know three people who it was well-meaning family last month. life is still one of the reasons is because the actual text of the e-mail message was removed in the event of the year.Therefore, each August, people receive this e-mail and to believe mars close to the country that year."2010" Mysteriously Unfortunately has occurred in recent versions of the e-mail messages that definitely does not allow mail to go away quietly.

If you have received a Mars Spectacular e-mail, believed to be true and pass it along with your friends, family, and even News outlet, it is not detrimental. you are not to fall in the enhanced message first and the last is certainly not a good lesson to Mars. Spectacular e-mail is: if it is too fantastic to be true, it is probably not. because the Internet to find out the means to know where to find the opposite, misinformation that appears to come from a trusted and can weed out the e-mail content validity check, the best online resources is Snopes. you find the "Mars Hoax" on-the-spot # 12 the Hot 25 list, as well as urban legends. NASA Astronomy magazine sites such as Sky and Telescope and Astronomy is also a good online astronomy resources.

Disappointed that you will not be able to see the "spectacular" mars? Don't fret! Mars is to display the entire month of August, 2010 in the evenings. is currently low southwestern horizon auringolaskun after hanging Saturn and Venus. check very bright Sky & Telescope's weekly "sky at a glance" page observing tips and other astronomical events information.

Shelley Witte is astronomy-teacher at the National Air and Space Museum.