 Off Topic - 35 million MILES off topic.
I don't know where the rest of you will be on the evening of August 27th, but my parrot Logan, my wife "Cakes", and I, will be lounging on the rear deck, with a bag of nacho chips, a bowl of "cross-your-eyes" salsa, a blender of salted margaritas, and my old Army-issued binoculars, waving "hello" to the big red planet MARS.
That's right. We at the "Silly Acres Ranch" (and those of you at your house) will be brushing past her; a mere 35 million miles away. Anyhow, the "experts" say this is the closest that Mars will be to earth than it ever has been in history. In fact, all through late August and early September, Mars will be the brightest object in the night sky, other than the moon, or hopefully Saddam's rear end on a missile-guided B-line to "judgment". Pardon my digression.
Mars, for the most part, in the next week or so, will rise in the East around 9:00 p.m. Eastern time, and reach its full azimuth at roughly 2:00 a.m., and by late August will rise with nightfall and be overhead by midnight. Further, it is forecast that the next time Mars may again be this close to Earth is the year 2287; the same year that the Cubs will finally win the World Series, Charles Manson will be paroled, and Governor Schwarzenegger, after 300 years of consecutive service, will retire as Governor of California.
So, don't miss it. With just a pair of 75x power binoculars, the Red Planet will appear to be the size of a full moon to your naked eye. Keep in mind, there is every probability that no one living today, with the exception of Governer Arnie, and that stubborn willow stump I've been trying to pull out of my lake bed, will ever see Mars this close again.
Hey, Mars. Y'all come bek now, y'heah.  | 
08-14-2003, 09:57 AM
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