Moon And Mars Are Having A Close Encounter

[Niall]

http://www.sott.net/articles/show/202059-The-Moon-And-Mars-Are-Having-A-Close-Encounter

If the skies are clear where you live this evening, watch out for the biggest full moon of the year rising over the horizon just after sunset, followed by Mars which will track across the sky with her :)

Moon and Mars are having close encounters with Earth at the same time.

 

[sid]

And what a night we chose to went down to the Auckland observatoy! Moon was so bright that we could not look at it for more that 30 secs straight. Also spotted Mars shining like a Red Dragon just to bottom right of the moon, Orion Nebula, couple of passing satellites and International Space Station. Lol, I was trying to spot any alien bases or maybe a UFO flying while looking at such a clear picture of Moon through the telescope:)

-Sid

 

[JEEP]

Oh, I wish you had posted this info sooner! I was up late last night using the laptop in the recliner. There is a window at the top of the stairs from the family room to the 2nd level loft. I looked up at one point and saw the huge full moon brightly shining into my eyes! I would have gone up to look for Mars had I known there was a celestial event happening! Now that I think of it, I did see the mention that moon and Mars were having a close encounter but didn't read it at that time. Alas, it's cloudy tonight. My loss.

 

[Buddy]

My wife and I were looking forward to checking out the moonrise and watching Mars tag along, but wouldn't you know tonight would be the first one in the past week that got so cloudy we could only see the vaguest amount of moon light for about 15 minutes then nothing the rest of the evening.

 

[anart]

With the snow on the ground here, it's almost like daylight out there at midnight - literally. Very bright full moon.

 

[cholas]

We spent a short time transfixed on the moon-show tonight.

Not more than an hour ago actually, after returning from work. Somewhat clear skies with a beautiful halo encircling luna with Mars a stones throw away.

Truly a magical night....

 

[sid]

Oh, I wish you had posted this info sooner! I was up late last night using the laptop in the recliner. There is a window at the top of the stairs from the family room to the 2nd level loft. I looked up at one point and saw the huge full moon brightly shining into my eyes! I would have gone up to look for Mars had I known there was a celestial event happening! Now that I think of it, I did see the mention that moon and Mars were having a close encounter but didn't read it at that time. Alas, it's cloudy tonight. My loss.

Yes, but I didn't know about it until I saw this thread, lol Even the obervatory staff didn't mention about this event and we just chose that day randomly.

 

[treesparrow]

I also looked at the moon over the last few nights. On the first night I used a pair of 8 times magnification binoculars and found I couldn't focus on the the surface because it just to bright! (It was 30% brighter and appears 14 bigger at this particular close approach according to what I'd read up on). Looking at Mars to the left of the moon through the binos, did reveal a clear reddish glow to the light. On the second night watching the moon rise over the horizon, it seemed to have a yellowish tinge that gradually faded as it climbed higher in the sky. I wondered why? Is this usual?