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AAAA Mars Card |
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| The AAAA Mars Card is a concise way to learn the
essential information about Mars during the current favorable opposition
in August and September 2003. Just click on either image to down load our
PDF, print it off, and make copies for yourself and to hand out at your
own Mars Observing Events for friends and the general public! |
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Make the Photocopies! |
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have time to make copies? Let us do the work for you. We will make copies
at $10 per 100 postpaid, as many as you want, and send them to you via
USPS Mail! Order online through CCNow, our Online Retailer. Canadian and
overseas orders additional postage.AAAA Mars Card:
100 for $10 ppd:
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Planning for the Public
During August 2003, Mars, the Red Planet, will be closer to Earth
than it has ever been before in recorded history. On the date of closest
approach, August 28, 2003, Mars will be only 55.8 million kilometers
from Earth, little more than 1/3 of an Astronomical Unit (AU). An
astronomical unit is the average distance from the Earth to the Sun,
about 165 million kilometers. This will be the closest together Mars and
Earth have been in the last 100,000 years! In planning any special Mars observing activities for the
general public or the media, keep in mind that in late August
when Mars is closest (diameter about 25 arc sec), it will only rise
about 30 degrees above the horizon at midnight ... so not good for
"early evening" observing. However, this situation improves through September:
at
end of September, Mars will still be over 20 arc sec. in diameter, but will cross the meridian (a bit more than 30
degrees high) earlier ... about 9:30PM. This placement is somewhat
better for public programs. As always, there is the danger of
planet-wide dust storms at this perihelion. Storm activity on Mars will
easily wipe out any surface features otherwise visible. The Planetary
Society has proclaimed August 27, 2003, the date of opposition, as "Mars
Day". The Planetary Society has a goal of "half of the world's
population looking at, or thinking about, Mars" on Mars day. So please
circle this day on your calendar. Now is the time to start planning Mars
Parties in your local area. |
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Opposition Timetable
Finding Mars
Martian Features
Observing with Filters
Sketching What You See
Martian Statistics
Mars Observing Form
AAAA Mars Card
The AAAA publication, 2003 - The Mars Year, is a
quick guide for those interested in observing Mars during the close
apparition of August 2003. The information it contains has been compiled from a
variety of sources, and will help you both understand and observe Mars
and its features during this favorable opposition. 2003
The Mars Year:
$3.00 each
View Shopping Cart / Check Out NASA Photo Mars 2001.
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