Philosophy
For the seventh year in a row, the Mars Hoax is infecting email boxes around the world. Passed from one reader to another, the message states that on August 27th Mars will approach Earth and swell to the size of a full Moon. "NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN," the email declares--always in caps.
News flash: It's not true.
Here are the facts. On August 27, 2010, Mars will be 314 million km from Earth, about as far away as it can get. Mars will shine in the western sky after sunset like a tiny red star of ordinary brightness. If you didn't know it was there, you probably wouldn't notice.
The origins of the Hoax can be traced back to 2003 when Mars really did swell to unusual proportions. On August 27th of that year, Mars came within 56 million km of Earth—the nearest it has been in 60,000 years. People marveled at the orange brilliance of Mars in the night sky and crowded around telescopes for clear views of the planet's towering volcanoes, ruddy plains and glistening polar ice caps. At the height of the display, Mars was about 75 times smaller than the full Moon.
That's when "the virus" was born.
Someone, somewhere, reasoned as follows: If Mars is 75 times smaller than the Moon, then magnifying it 75 times should make it equal to the Moon. Early versions of the Hoax encouraged readers to get out their telescopes and insert a 75x eyepiece: "At a modest 75 times magnification," the message stated, "Mars will look as big as the full Moon to the naked eye."
Soon, the Hoax was vectoring around the internet, making copies of itself and mutating. Advanced versions of the virus, sleeker and less wordy than its ancestors, omitted the magnification and simply stated, "Mars will look as big as the full Moon to the naked eye!" Before long, the year was omitted, too. August 27, 2003, became August 27, and the Hoax became immortal. Indeed, years of stories contradicting the Hoax have failed to stamp it out. This is the fourth vaccination by Science@NASA alone.
Tolerant readers point out that the Mars Hoax is not really a hoax, because it is not an intentional trick. The original composer probably believed everything he or she wrote in the message. If so, even the name of the Mars Hoax is wrong!
Here's what you should do on August 27th. Go outside at sunset and face west. The bright light you see shining through the twilight is lovely Venus. Grab a pair of binoculars and scan the sky around Venus. A few degrees to the right, you'll come across a little orange star-like object. That is Mars.
- A Different Concept For The Colonization For Mars
Abstract... Humanity has the knowledge to solve its problems but lacks the moral insight to implement these ideas on a global scale. New moral insight can be obtained through transformative experiences that allow us to examine and refine our underlying...
- Deceased--mars Rover Spirit
Mars Rover Spirit January 3rd, 2004 to May 25th, 2011 "Mars Exploration Rover Spirit Laid To Rest" May 25th, 2011 Mars Daily NASA will cease any further attempts to make contact with the long-lived Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, which last communicated...
- Mars Died Today...in 1999
Mars? Forrest Edward Mars, that is...the chocolate bar maker. American candy manufacturer who led Mars Inc., one of the world's largest confectionery companies. After helping to develop the Milky Way bar for his father's candy-making business,...
- Closest For Mars And Earth And A Russian Silent Film
On January 27th, 2010 Mars and Earth were at their closest [0.664 AU = 99.33 million km] and the apparent diameter of Mars was 14.105". To make a post celebration here is a Russian silent film directed by Yakov Protazanov...Aelita: Queen of Mars [1924]....
- February Skys Yield Five Naked Eye Planets
What a treat...five planets that will be visible to the naked eye. "Doorstep Astronomy: Spot 5 Planets" by Joe Rao February 13th, 2009 SPACE.com This month you'll have an opportunity to see all five naked-eye planets – but not all at once. Two...
Philosophy
You are warned...again
"The Mutating Mars Hoax"
August 25th, 2010
NASA
August 25th, 2010
NASA
For the seventh year in a row, the Mars Hoax is infecting email boxes around the world. Passed from one reader to another, the message states that on August 27th Mars will approach Earth and swell to the size of a full Moon. "NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN," the email declares--always in caps.
News flash: It's not true.
Here are the facts. On August 27, 2010, Mars will be 314 million km from Earth, about as far away as it can get. Mars will shine in the western sky after sunset like a tiny red star of ordinary brightness. If you didn't know it was there, you probably wouldn't notice.
The origins of the Hoax can be traced back to 2003 when Mars really did swell to unusual proportions. On August 27th of that year, Mars came within 56 million km of Earth—the nearest it has been in 60,000 years. People marveled at the orange brilliance of Mars in the night sky and crowded around telescopes for clear views of the planet's towering volcanoes, ruddy plains and glistening polar ice caps. At the height of the display, Mars was about 75 times smaller than the full Moon.
That's when "the virus" was born.
Someone, somewhere, reasoned as follows: If Mars is 75 times smaller than the Moon, then magnifying it 75 times should make it equal to the Moon. Early versions of the Hoax encouraged readers to get out their telescopes and insert a 75x eyepiece: "At a modest 75 times magnification," the message stated, "Mars will look as big as the full Moon to the naked eye."
Soon, the Hoax was vectoring around the internet, making copies of itself and mutating. Advanced versions of the virus, sleeker and less wordy than its ancestors, omitted the magnification and simply stated, "Mars will look as big as the full Moon to the naked eye!" Before long, the year was omitted, too. August 27, 2003, became August 27, and the Hoax became immortal. Indeed, years of stories contradicting the Hoax have failed to stamp it out. This is the fourth vaccination by Science@NASA alone.
Tolerant readers point out that the Mars Hoax is not really a hoax, because it is not an intentional trick. The original composer probably believed everything he or she wrote in the message. If so, even the name of the Mars Hoax is wrong!
Here's what you should do on August 27th. Go outside at sunset and face west. The bright light you see shining through the twilight is lovely Venus. Grab a pair of binoculars and scan the sky around Venus. A few degrees to the right, you'll come across a little orange star-like object. That is Mars.
- A Different Concept For The Colonization For Mars
Abstract... Humanity has the knowledge to solve its problems but lacks the moral insight to implement these ideas on a global scale. New moral insight can be obtained through transformative experiences that allow us to examine and refine our underlying...
- Deceased--mars Rover Spirit
Mars Rover Spirit January 3rd, 2004 to May 25th, 2011 "Mars Exploration Rover Spirit Laid To Rest" May 25th, 2011 Mars Daily NASA will cease any further attempts to make contact with the long-lived Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, which last communicated...
- Mars Died Today...in 1999
Mars? Forrest Edward Mars, that is...the chocolate bar maker. American candy manufacturer who led Mars Inc., one of the world's largest confectionery companies. After helping to develop the Milky Way bar for his father's candy-making business,...
- Closest For Mars And Earth And A Russian Silent Film
On January 27th, 2010 Mars and Earth were at their closest [0.664 AU = 99.33 million km] and the apparent diameter of Mars was 14.105". To make a post celebration here is a Russian silent film directed by Yakov Protazanov...Aelita: Queen of Mars [1924]....
- February Skys Yield Five Naked Eye Planets
What a treat...five planets that will be visible to the naked eye. "Doorstep Astronomy: Spot 5 Planets" by Joe Rao February 13th, 2009 SPACE.com This month you'll have an opportunity to see all five naked-eye planets – but not all at once. Two...