Get ready , because on May 30 this year , Mars is going to make itsclosest approachto Earth since 2005 . perverse to what some on-line hoaxes might have you believe , though , this is n’t going to make Mars observably much bigger in the sky , but it ’s still an interesting event .
Earth , as you may know , orbits the Sun at a space of 149.6 million km ( 92.9 million miles ) once every 365.3 days . Mars , at its more distant positioning of 227.9 million klick ( 141.6 million miles ) , takes 687 days to orbit the Sun . As we orbit quicker , this mean we go through periods where we are first both on the same side of the Sun and then on diametrical side .
This month , Earth will begin to overtake Mars on the same side of the Sun , and thus the two planet will be at their close point to each other in their orbital cavity . This is known as confrontation , when Mars , Earth , and the Sun are all in a line in that fiat . At its most remote , Mars is about 401 million kilometers ( 249 million miles ) away . On May 30 , Mars will be a mere 75.3 million kilometers ( 46.8 million miles ) .
Although this is somewhat skinny , it can be closer , such as in2005 . And inAugust 2003 , Mars was just 55.76 million kilometer ( 34.65 million miles ) off , its closest approach for 60,000 class . It wo n’t be until the class 2287 that Mars comes that close again .
NASA / JPL - Caltech
While interesting , these unaired approaches also serve a utilitarian intention when it comes to blank space travel . To acquit out missions to Mars , spacecraft will often launch in the window of closest approach ( every 26 month ) to minimize the travelling time needed to get to the Red Planet . In March this year , for example , Europe and Russia launched the first part of their ambitiousExoMars mission . In 2018 , meanwhile , during the next windowpane , SpaceX is planning to launch itsfirst spacecraft to Mars .
As mentioned above though , this close approach often also draws up an former Mars dupery , where hoi polloi claim it will be as big as the Moon in the sky . Do n’t be slang ; Mars will preserve to be a small , fall ruby dot .
It will come along brighter than usual , though , from May 18 to June 3 . So make trusted you look outside , and maybe download one of the many stargazing apps , to have a expression as our approximate planetary neighbour pays us a sojourn .
If you miss this one , do n’t fret though . Mars will come even nigher in 2018 , a length of just 57.6 million kilometers ( 35.8 million nautical mile ) .
