Next August, Mars will come closest to Earth since and for many, many years. But compared with other "close" oppositions, the difference is not that very large. I think we should be prepared to get plenty of bad astronomy in the new next summer...

Harald

Perhaps the close passing of mars and earth will cause a pole flip (or earthquake or tsunami....) leading to many deaths. Got to get started on my bomb shelter.

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If you're not part of the solution then you're part of the precipitate.

In fact it is the closest mars and earth have been for 50,000 years apparently. Wait for the planet x lot to blame some sort of historical natural disaster on that.

Wrong forum i know but maybe the red planet they predicted arriving next year is non other than mars itself!!!!

lol

Maybe at one of the Planet X forums, someone should bring this up.

To keep this topic in the right category, we will no doubt see many infomercials that deal with Percival Lowel's "canals". I can just imagine someone trying to sell the telescopes: "Now, you can see canals too, for just $129.95".

All I know, Mars will look beautiful in my scope next year. Can't wait!

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Isn't the fact that they don't visit us proof that intelligent life is out there?

The Confused Philosopher - RCAF

I think we should keep our eyes open for strange flashes of light from the Martian surface.

If we see any, then we should pay careful attention to any reports of strange fireballs entering the Earth in the following weeks.

http://www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/www/warworlds/b1c1.html

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...And that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be banana-shaped. --Sir Bedevere

The Mars opposition in 2001 is what finally made me go out and buy my 8" SCT after about oh.. 25 years of wanting another scope.

Of course, as it always happens when you buy a new scope, the skies opened and it rained for 2 straight months. (NOAA conspiracy!)

I have this opposition week circled on my calendar, looking forward to it.

Being that this is a Mars thread on a board partially dedicated to bad Astronomy in Movies, I must ask why, in the catalouge of Bad Astronomy films that are reviewed that one of the classic B.A. films of all time "Total Recall" is not there.

It's a great popcorn munching action flick, and it was in 1990 when Ahh-nold was at maximum K.P.M (kills per minute) in his films.

But, most importantly, a TON of Bad Astronomy. I would think a books length could be written on the 15 minute atmosphere alone!

One can only wish..


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: BA Fan MikeM on 2002-09-24 01:40 ]</font>

This sounded familiar, so I entered "total recall" into the search feature (search for all), and found this old thread: Totally Bad?

The BA himself mentioned recently that he doesn't usually like to review older movies unless he has some specific reason for it. He prefers to stay with current releases.

However, nothing's stopping us here from thrashing an old bomb to within an inch of it's life. So speak up if you have a film you want to discuss. (Just remember to start it in a new thread.) [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

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...And that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be banana-shaped. --Sir Bedevere

Ah, Total Recall, directed the Paul Verhoeven, the same guy who ruined Starship Troopers. Is it just me, or does that guy seem to have a certain sick facination with blood and gore?

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Books make a lot of money.
Tourism helps generate a lot of money.
Maybe that's what drives the conspiracy theorists?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: The Shade on 2002-09-24 09:21 ]</font>

I don't remember all that much blood in Total Recall, but he showed a lot in this movie.

Resurrected because of this...
Skywatchers await Mars close-up
Huh?

Well, I guess you can average the (1.52 - 1) au and the (1.52 + 1) au and get pretty close. Yuck anyway.

Looks like they mixed it up with the average distance from the Sun to Mars.

Whoever edits the science stories for CNN needs to be fired. Although this is nowhere near as bad as the famous error they had for Columbia, it seems like there's at least one incorrect fact in every science article they write.

That very factoid was on the front page of my local paper today under an Associated Press byline.