Mars made its closest approach to Earth on this day in 2003; Read more

Mars made one of its closest approach to Earth in nearly 60,000 years on this day, i.e. August 27, in 2003. According to NASA, back in 2003, Mars came closer to Earth and was within 56 million kilometres of our planet. The ‘very closest approach’ was hailed as an ‘excellent opportunity’ for amateur astronomers to see the Red Planet. 

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Back then, NASA had informed that the rare encounter was due to the difference in Earth’s orbit compared with that of Mars. While our planet is on a very near-circular orbit around the Sun, Mars sweeps out a large ellipse over its orbit. This resulted in Earth and Mars to approach within a range between 35 and 63 million miles. On August 27, 2003, the Red Planet appeared slightly larger and brighter in the nighttime sky. 

Moriba Jah, a NASA Scientist, had explained, “The orbits of the planets are ellipses. They're not perfect circles. Gravitational effects from the sun and planets pull on the planets' orbits”. 

Jah added, “The very closest approach — the most that you can get — is when both planets are lined up at the time when Earth is at its farthest point from the sun and Mars is at its closest point”. 

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It is believed that not since the Neanderthals lived, have Earth and Mars been quite as close as on August 27, 2003. Earth and Mars were exactly 55,758,006 km from the centre to centre, which was the nearest two planet have been in almost 60,000 years. According to the NASA update, the two planets are not expected to be this close until August 28, 2287. 

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Mars’ surface details revealed 

Meanwhile, with technology advancing every year, scientists have been studying the Red Planet regularly. Recently, NASA’s InSight lander that started surface operations at Elysium Planitia on Mars has revealed the Red planet’s surface details in the seismograph data that it collected about 10 weeks after landing. Short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, the Geodesy and Heat Transport captured intricate details and measurements of three subsurface boundaries from the crust to the core of the celestial body, observed by Rice University seismologists, a statement confirmed.

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