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Article: Early morning sky: Mars versus the moon
- Article from:
- Intelligencer Journal Lancaster, PA
- Article date:
- July 16, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2003 Intelligencer Journal Lancaster, PA. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Celestial drama unfolds in the sky tonight, culminating in a very
close encounter between the moon and Mars during the predawn hours.
The moon is in the waning gibbous phase, a few days past full, and
thus has a dark edge on its western limb. It rises about 11 tonight.
Mars, nearer and nearer to Earth as we move through the summer --
though still 190 times farther away than the moon -- is strikingly
bright and surprisingly reddish.
The moon will be clearly visible in the southeast sky by midnight,
and Mars will be visible slightly to its left. As the night
progresses, however, the moon's motion around Earth will bring it
closer to the vicinity of Mars.