*MARS* on August 27th! (public service announcement)

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Date: 17 Aug 2007 20:40:04
From: Nomen Nescio
Subject: *MARS* on August 27th! (public service announcement)

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

I just received a forwarded message from an old friend on my mailing
list, claiming "Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked
eye"..."culminate Aug. 27"..."It will look like the earth has 2 moons".

Here is my reply, in hopes that this hoax finally gets laid to rest...

In Vigilance,
Daniel Joseph Min
http://www.2hot2cool.com/11/danieljosephmin/

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear ____,

As you know, the Stars are my forte, so please note that the message
you kindly (albeit unwittingly) forwarded is an Internet hoax that's
been floating around since 2004. Don't feel bad, because even many
amateur astronomers have been duped by this old hoax, many science-
teachers and professors! That's because not everyone truly studies
and practices astronomy nor astrology. I believe that most people
are simply too busy with other things, i.e., with life in general.
And we live in a extremely Anti-Xian society that shuns universal
knowledge for profane counterfeits. Trust is earned, never granted.
Like one Prophet wrote some centuries ago, nothing is less uncertain
than strict astronomical calculation. The Stars don't lie, hence the
Commandment against bearing false witness. The Stars of heaven bear
true witness.

Mars actually did make its historically-closest approach to Earth on
August 27, 2003, thus I had previously written and posted extensive
information about it, beginning in March of 2003.

As for this Monday August 27th 2007 anno Domini, Mars will actually
be about 18 Taurus, and the Sun will be about 9 Leo, by caelestial-
ecliptic zodiacal coordinates (against the background of the stars).
Thus Mars will be at a distance from Earth of about 1.2 astronomical
units -- that's further away from Earth than the Sun (always ~1.0 AU).

You see, Mars needs to be at inferior conjunction, meaning Earth is
directly between the Sun and Mars, or sysygy, in order for Mars to
approach nearest by the Earth, as illustrated in the diagram below:

*Sun

Date: 18 Aug 2007 05:20:19
From: raven1
Subject: Re: *MARS* on August 27th! (public service announcement)

Date: 18 Aug 2007 04:31:43
From: The Prophet Micah
Subject: Re: *MARS* on August 27th! (public service announcement)

On Aug 17, 2:40 pm, Nomen Nescio <nob...@dizum.com > wrote:
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
>
> I just received a forwarded message from an old friend on my mailing
> list, claiming "Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked
> eye"..."culminate Aug. 27"..."It will look like the earth has 2 moons".
>
> Here is my reply, in hopes that this hoax finally gets laid to rest...
>
> In Vigilance,
> Daniel Joseph Minhttp://www.2hot2cool.com/11/danieljosephmin/
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Dear ____,
>
> As you know, the Stars are my forte, so please note that the message
> you kindly (albeit unwittingly) forwarded is an Internet hoax that's
> been floating around since 2004. Don't feel bad, because even many
> amateur astronomers have been duped by this old hoax, many science-
> teachers and professors! That's because not everyone truly studies
> and practices astronomy nor astrology. I believe that most people
> are simply too busy with other things, i.e., with life in general.
> And we live in a extremely Anti-Xian society that shuns universal
> knowledge for profane counterfeits. Trust is earned, never granted.
> Like one Prophet wrote some centuries ago, nothing is less uncertain
> than strict astronomical calculation. The Stars don't lie, hence the
> Commandment against bearing false witness. The Stars of heaven bear
> true witness.
>
> Mars actually did make its historically-closest approach to Earth on
> August 27, 2003, thus I had previously written and posted extensive
> information about it, beginning in March of 2003.
>
> As for this Monday August 27th 2007 anno Domini, Mars will actually
> be about 18 Taurus, and the Sun will be about 9 Leo, by caelestial-
> ecliptic zodiacal coordinates (against the background of the stars).
> Thus Mars will be at a distance from Earth of about 1.2 astronomical
> units -- that's further away from Earth than the Sun (always ~1.0 AU).
>
> You see, Mars needs to be at inferior conjunction, meaning Earth is
> directly between the Sun and Mars, or sysygy, in order for Mars to
> approach nearest by the Earth, as illustrated in the diagram below:
>
> *Sun
>

Date: 17 Aug 2007 16:34:29
From: LC
Subject: Re: *MARS* on August 27th! (public service announcement)

"Nomen Nescio" <nobody@dizum.com > wrote in message
news:2fb068318f57bc7e2e93b1d1e3d4a0a0@dizum.com...
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

> I just received a forwarded message from an old friend on my mailing
> list, claiming "Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked
> eye"..."culminate Aug. 27"..."It will look like the earth has 2 moons".

> Here is my reply, in hopes that this hoax finally gets laid to rest...

<snip verbosity >

As usual, Min likes to hear to hear himself talk, and rambles on
interminably.

A short and better answer: http://www.snopes.com/science/mars.asp

Date: 17 Aug 2007 22:15:24
From: Martin
Subject: Re: *MARS* on August 27th! (public service announcement)

Spammer wrote:

> I just received a forwarded message from an old friend on my mailing
> list, claiming "Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked
> eye"..."culminate Aug. 27"..."It will look like the earth has 2 moons".

<spammer snipped >

I got the same thing sent to me from my gf. She's a christian as well.

My reply was much shorter than /spammers/.

Date: 17 Aug 2007 22:35:18
From: Al Klein
Subject: Re: *MARS* on August 27th! (public service announcement)

On Fri, 17 Aug 2007 22:15:24 +0100, Martin <usenet1@etiqa.co.uk >
wrote:

>Spammer wrote:
>
>> I just received a forwarded message from an old friend on my mailing
>> list, claiming "Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked
>> eye"..."culminate Aug. 27"..."It will look like the earth has 2 moons".
>
><spammer snipped>
>
>I got the same thing sent to me from my gf. She's a christian as well.

It must be something in the (holy) water.

Date: 18 Aug 2007 10:16:51
From: Martin
Subject: Re: *MARS* on August 27th! (public service announcement)

Al Klein wrote:
> On Fri, 17 Aug 2007 22:15:24 +0100, Martin <usenet1@etiqa.co.uk>
> wrote:
>
>> Spammer wrote:
>>
>>> I just received a forwarded message from an old friend on my mailing
>>> list, claiming "Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked
>>> eye"..."culminate Aug. 27"..."It will look like the earth has 2 moons".
>> <spammer snipped>
>>
>> I got the same thing sent to me from my gf. She's a christian as well.
>
> It must be something in the (holy) water.

I wonder if it's guilability (sp) and they have to believe what they are
told.

For example a couple of years ago I sent her an email about the annual
"Internet Cleanup Day" reminding her to shut down her computer over the
weekend. So what does she do? Forwards it to her corporate IT manager
with a "My boyfriend is an IT consultant and I just wanted to remind you
about this ..."

Thing is she isn't stupid or thick - usually, has a good job, is able to
hold a conversation, but sometimes ... well you know.

Date: 18 Aug 2007 11:34:10
From: Peter Alaca
Subject: Re: *MARS* on August 27th! (public service announcement)

Martin <usenet1@etiqa.co.uk > wrote:

> Al Klein wrote:
>> On Fri, 17 Aug 2007 22:15:24 +0100, Martin <usenet1@etiqa.co.uk>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Spammer wrote:
>>>

Please remove sci.archaeology.

--
p.a.

Date: 17 Aug 2007 14:05:53
From: The Prophet Micah
Subject: Re: *MARS* on August 27th! (public service announcement)

Date: 17 Aug 2007 13:32:35
From: rick++
Subject: Re: *MARS* on August 27th! (public service announcement)

Thats like a four year old incorrect urban legend.
Once in the 'net it never dies.