There's this post circulating in the interwebs about the planet Mars getting too close to Earth this coming August 27th. But, there's something about this post that makes me want to scream H-O-A-X!!!
You see, I read about this post a number of times. It is actually a recurring hoax as old as year 2003. That's right, older than Facebook. It was circulated and passed along as chain emails.
There will never be a double moon. Mars will never appear huge as depicted in pictures. Although it is bigger than our moon, the distance will never make it appear as huge as the much closer moon. Although it might come into view in the east before dawn by August 27, 2015, it will just be a dot in our naked eye.
This is one variation of the story about having double moon:
Mars
The Red Planet is about to be spectacular!
This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history.
The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287.
Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again. The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide.
At a modest 75-power magnification Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.
Share this with your children and grandchildren.
NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN
As the popular saying goes "If it is on the Internet it must be true" shows how gullible people are. So, before liking, commenting and worse, sharing this hoax or any posts like this again, better check the facts first. A simple search will suffice.
