NEWS

Morehead Center plans several events with Earth’s approach to Mars in mind

CHAPEL HILL -- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Morehead Planetarium and Science Center will mark Mars’ closest approach to Earth in 60,000 years with a series of special events in August and September.

The approach is expected to provide the best viewing opportunity of the "red planet" in recorded history. Mars’ closest approach will be at 5:51 a.m. Aug. 27, when it will be 34,646,418 miles from Earth, experts at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have reported.

"Mars will be the brightest evening object, other than Venus and the moon, during this period, so it should be easy to identify," said Richard McColman, a Morehead Center star show producer. "In fact, It’ll be about 60 times brighter than it appeared this time last year, when it was positioned at the far side of its orbit around the sun, as viewed from Earth."

The Morehead Center, in partnership with the Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society, will sponsor free skywatching sessions 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Aug. 14 and 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sept. 6 at Ebenezer Church Recreation Area, at Jordan Lake.

At the sessions, the public will have a chance to see Mars through a telescope – and the Perseid meteor shower also will be visible during the Aug. 14 session.

The Mars viewing is best appreciated through a telescope, said McColman.

"Although Mars will appear much brighter than usual, observers won’t be able to see any detail on the surface with the naked eye. However, a good amateur telescope should make Mars look several times larger than average this time around and make it much easier to pick out major surface regions, including the polar ice caps."

In addition, several planetarium programs will feature Mars prominently during the time of its approach:

"Carolina Skies," a live program that uses the planetarium’s artificial night sky to explore the current night sky visible over North Carolina, is presented at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. Beginning, Aug. 14, "Carolina Skies" will be presented at 7 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

"Life in the Universe," which focuses on if and where life may exist beyond Earth, is presented at 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, 3:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. Beginning Aug. 14, "Life in the Universe" will be shown at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Mars has long been considered a possible home for life.

For more information on Morehead Center programs, click on www.moreheadplanetarium.org.

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Morehead Center contact: Jeff Hill, (919) 843-7995