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To celebrate Earth and Mars being so close to each
other, this year's National Astronomy week has been timed to coincide
with the event.
National Astronomy Week falls on 23 - 30 August
and is an event organised each year to try to promote astronomy
to the general public.
This month, Earth and Mars are only 56 million
km (35 million miles) apart and this is the first time they have
been so near to each other for thousands of years.
Mars is half the diameter and 1/10 the mass of
Earth and is 55 million km further away from Earth than the moon.
Mars can be seen with the naked eye |
Because Mars will be so near to Earth, you will
be able to see the red planet with the naked eye, although for the
best view you will still need a good telescope
to see any detail.
Mars will be the brightest object in the sky, appearing
orange red.
There are dozens of events planned around the county
for this year's astronomy week and if you've never looked through
a telescope before, now is your chance.
 Norwich
Astronomical Society
The Norwich Astronomical Society have a kids' astronomy
event on Saturday 23 August from 2pm to 5pm.
They have organised plenty of fun activities including
a portable planetarium, how to make a comet, pin the tail on the
comet and making model rockets.
From 7pm till 11pm everyone will be allowed to
look through the through the society's various
telescopes.
Ice cap on Mars |
There are also open evenings for the public on
27, 29 and 30 August from 8pm to 11pm.
Norfolk Online's astronomer Mark Lawrik-Thompson
FRAS will be presenting A Martian Odyssey and using the observatory
telescopes.
All events will be held at the society observatory
at Seething. More details including directions and contact information
can be found on their website: .
Lowestoft
and Great Yarmouth Astronomical Society
This society in the east of Norfolk will be presenting
a talk on Mars Global Surveyor by Jerry Workman on Wednesday 27
August.
Held at 7.30pm at the Octagon Room, Sports Centre,
there will be viewing afterwards at the Kirkley Observatory, Kirkley
Run, Lowestoft. For more details visit their website at: .
Breckland
Astronomical Society
IT expert Rod Crockford will give a presentation
on the uses of the Internet in Astronomy at
Great Ellingham Recreation Centre Friday 8 August at 7.30 pm.
To celebrate the closest approach of the planet
Mars to Earth for thousands of years, from 23 to 30 August, during
National Astronomy Week, the observatory at Great Ellingham will
be open to the public every night from 8pm.
The main feature of these open nights will be to
give the public information about Mars.
If the skies are clear, you will be given the opportunity
to see Mars through their 20 inch computer controlled telescope.
For more details visit their website at: .
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