I have recieve an email from my friend telling me that the planet Mars will be at its closes to earth in this Aug to Sep. Is it true? (via Stomp)

Thank you for your enquiry. This phenomenon of close encounters between Earth and Mars is what astronomers call "perihelic oppositions". When this happens, Mars appears 6 times larger and 85 times brighter than it ordinarily does. This last happened on 27 August 2003 and the next time it will occur is in the year 2287.

Every planet orbits the Sun on its own elliptical path. As Earth is closer to the Sun than Mars, its path is shorter and hence it moves around more quickly than Mars (Earth takes 365 days while Mars takes 687 Earth-days). According to space.com, "Earth is catching up with Mars each day, like a race car driver heading into Turn 1 on the inside, preparing to lap a sputtering competitor for the umpteenth time. When the pass occurs, Earth and Mars will be on the same side of the Sun, all three objects lined up in a row..... These orbital points slowly change their directions in space over thousands of years. They are presently evolving toward alignment, so, when they do get nearly aligned and when Mars and Earth pass near the key points at the same time, then a truly close approach occurs. " (Source: http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/mars_orbit_030121-1.html)

You can find out more about this phenomenon at these websites:
(i) "Approaching Mars", from NASA.gov - [http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/watchtheskies/18jun_approachingmars.html]
(ii) "Mars, Earth Drawing Closer Together", from FOXNews.com - [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,294138,00.html]
(iii) ""Mars Closest to Earth in 50,000 Years", from space.about.com - [http://space.about.com/cs/mars/a/marsclose.htm]
all sites last accessed 04 Sept, 2007.
(For the above weblinks, you are advised to please click through to the respective site's main page to read their Terms & Conditions for use of the site before continuing)

With regards to the email you received, it has been widely documented as a hoax usually sent out every year in the month of August.
Reference: "Mars Close to Earth Email", from space.about.com - [http://space.about.com/library/weekly/blmarsclose.htm], and
"Mars, Earth Closest Approach in Recorded History", from hoax-slayer.com - [http://www.hoax-slayer.com/mars-earth-close.html]

I hope this answer satisfies you. Feel free to email us for further queries.
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