Last night we stayed up to see the Perseid meteor shower. Unfortunately due to a full moon the sky was far too bright to be able to see anything.
However we noted on our astronomy charts that Mars is the closest it has ever been for 60,000 years. And given that the sky was clear we decided to try and find it.
Mars was clearly visible to the naked eye low in the horizon quite close to the full moon. This was out the front of our house, so we dragged our telescope out front, and stood in the street.
We were treated with an exceptionally clear view of Mars, and able to make out the ice caps to the top of the planet.
So now I've clearly seen Mars, Saturn and Jupiter. I feel extremely lucky (though I still want to visit them :-)
All in all a great night, despite not seeing the meteors.
However we noted on our astronomy charts that Mars is the closest it has ever been for 60,000 years.
You're the first person I knew who found that out from astronomy charts instead of a news report.
I was wondering, as I am wont to do, around the top of the beacon in Malvern and noticed the red thing near the moon. Thought it might be Mars, so clearly it was.
