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Article: NIGHT SKY: MARS SHINES BRIGHT IN NOVEMBER SKY.(Outdoors)
- Article from:
- The Santa Fe New Mexican (Santa Fe, NM)
- Article date:
- November 11, 2009
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 The Santa Fe New Mexican. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: PETER LIPSCOMB
Already a familiar sight to night-owl observers during past months, the planet Mars is now becoming visible in the evening sky. Rising before midnight, the Red Planet can be found amongst the dim stars of the constellation Cancer. Mars' ruddy color makes it a close match to the red giant stars Aldebaran and Betelgeuse. By month's end, its path will carry it into the stars of Leo. Along the way, Mars will brighten and increase in apparent size.
Viewed through a telescope, Mars shows an apparent diameter about a quarter the size Jupiter's disc, but observers are beginning to make out some detail. As it approaches Earth, its axial ...