Stargazers can now think of nothing else but Mars. The red
planet will come closer to Earth today than at anytime in around
60,000 years.
"I won't miss it for anything! I'd rather put off meeting my
clients today," said Ye Minglei, a Shanghai foreign-trade firm
employee and an astronomy buff.
Besides Ye, hundreds of local astronomy fans will either stand
on their balconies or go to the countryside to catch a last-gasp
glimpse of Mars: It won't come as close again in their
lifetime.
If the weather cooperates, stargazers will be able to observe
the ever-clear-and-big planet in the southeast after sunset
today.
The fourth rock from the sun, with its rusty twinkle apparent in
the faint sky, should shine brighter than any other heavenly bodies
- including the moon and Venus, astronomers said.
Some 55.76 million kilometers will separate the two planets this
evening. If the distance seems big, consider this: Mars was five
times as far away just six months ago.
Yesterday, more than 300 local residents went to Shanghai
Library for a lecture on Mars, which was also broadcast live on
several bilingual Websites.
Telescopes, priced from 200 yuan (US$24) to several thousand
yuan, have been selling like hotcakes these days.
"We sold around 2,000 astronomical telescopes last month. But in
the same period last year, we sold less than 100," said Dong
Yun-bing, a salesman at Bosma telescope shop on Nandan Road.
According to the Shanghai Astronomy Society, the city now has
many astronomy fans. "The membership of Shanghai Phosphor Union,
the city's premier astronomical club, has hit some 200 - almost
eight times more than when it was founded in late 2001," said
society secretary general Lin Qing.
(eastday.com August 27, 2003)