On August 26–27, 2003 — the night of Mars's closest approach to Earth since prehistoric times — Mars will present this face to viewers in the Americas (around 12:40 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time, 3:40 a.m. EDT). This computer graphic by Ralph Aeschliman includes the albedo markings that ground-based telescopic observers typically see. It also shows some surface relief, like the huge Valles Marineris canyon and neighboring volcanoes. North is up. Courtesy Ralph Aeschliman.
It's not enough to describe the 2003 apparition of Mars as unique. In late August, as if beckoning us to touch its enchanting, exotic shores, the red planet will reach magnitude –2.9 and will dominate the southern sky with its fiery coloration. Finally,
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