Sorry about the formatting, the only way I could find to forward this. The
pictures of course won't paste, but the content is what is important.
GaryZ

Subject: FW: Mars

     Mars

     The Red Planet is about to be spectacular!

     This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter
that
     will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in
     recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is
     in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on
     Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be
     certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth
     in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as
     60,000 years before it happens again.

     The encounter will culminate on August 27th when
     Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and
     will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in
     the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9
     and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest
     75-power magnification

     Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.
     Mars will be easy to spot. At the
     beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10 p.m.
     and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.

     By the end of August when the two planets are
     closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its
     highest point in the sky at 12:30 a.m. That's pretty
     convenient to see something that no human being has
     seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at
     the beginning of August to see Mars grow
     progressively brighter and brighter throughout the
     month.
     Share this with your children and grandchildren.

     NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN