The Great Mars Hoax is about to reappear

The time is rapidly approaching. Very soon -- if it hasn't already -- the Great Mars Hoax of 2003 will once again raise its ugly head like the ancient Medusa, the beast that no matter how many heads you cut off, more will grow back.

With the approaching opposition of the planet Mars -- Sunday, May 22 -- we will probably see a hoax that started in 2003 which says Mars will appear as large as the full moon. Nothing could be farther from the truth (and since we are not discussing politics, I can say that).

What is the Mars Hoax?

In 2003 when Mars was approaching opposition -- being opposite the Sun in the sky -- an article appeared in an astronomy magazine that said, "When observed under 75X magnification in a telescope, Mars will appear as large as the full moon."

There, nothing wrong with that. The 2003 opposition was special because the two planets had not been that close in 60,000 years and when observed it was a blazing, reddish, fiery, looking thing. When observed it took on the appearance of a bright, red, coal just removed from the fire.

Well, 26 months later we are approaching another opposition. It would not be as close as the last one, but still decent.

Then someone finds the old article, reproduces it, but for some reason leaves out the "75x through a telescope" part and the resulting headlines blare across the techno-verse as "Mars to appear as big as the full moon," and a hoax is created.

Instead of bothering to check the truth, people began passing it around (that blasted "share" key in Facebook) and soon everyone is expecting Mars as large as the full moon. (If this were the Internet, I would insert a really big "frowny face")

I received several e-mails about it -- at least someone was checking--and I had to tell them no, the Mars would not be that big.

There is a current hoax running around in the FB Universe that on Friday the 13th (the day I am writing this) there would also be a full moon.

Anyone could have simply checked the closest calendar to see that was not the case. The moon on that Friday would only be at first-quarter, the moon would not be full until a week later.

The moral of my sad tail is this, if you see something astronomical, and you aren't for sure--ask an astronomer. Also, if you receive one of these posts, please hit the delete key; it is not true.

SKY WATCH: Full moon, Saturday, May 21, and Mars at opposition. Opposition means that Earth is between Mars and the Sun and rises at sunset and sets at sunrise and is in perfect position for observing -- best after local midnight. On that night there will be a very nice grouping of the full moon, Mars, the planet Saturn (off to the left), and the bright star Antares. Antares is the brightest star at the heart of Scorpius, the Scorpion.

The next night, May 22, the moon moves on to just left of Saturn. In binoculars, put the moon at about 9 o'clock and Saturn will be at 3 o'clock, probably best to put the moon out of the FOV to be better able to see Saturn.

Mars will be its closest for this pass on Monday, May 30. so dust off that telescope, this is a great time to use it.

NEXT WEEK: More astronomical blathering.