Magical Night Sky Week: Mars, Full Moon and Shooting Stars

Post by **Captain Fantastic** » 08-11-2003 10:14 PM

...from Space.com

No matter how little you know about the night sky, this is a remarkable week to go out and look up, regardless of where you live.

An enchantingly bright Mars and the reliably interesting Moon will be near each other in the late night and early morning sky Monday night through Thursday morning.

The pairing comes just as Mars is on the verge of its biggest and brightest performance ever. It also offers an opportunity for even totally inexperienced skywatchers to make an exciting daytime planet sighting.

Meanwhile, patient observers could spot a bright fireball as ancient comet fragments are scheduled to hurtle through Earth's atmosphere.

All this with no equipment required. City lights are not an issue.

The Moon will be full Tuesday, Aug. 12 and will appear nearly full Monday night right on into Wednesday morning. Mars is now a blazing orange "star" that rises in the late evening and is high in the southern sky throughout the early morning hours. You cannot miss it.

http://www.space.com/spacewatch/moon_mars_030811.html