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This week, the Red Planet is closer than at any time since Neanderthals roamed the forests of Europe, nearly 60 millennia ago. Anyone who takes the trouble to step out of the house in the late evening will see Mars hanging in the southeast like a pinkish, Christmas-tree light. It will be bright enough to throw shadows, although this particular trick will go unnoticed unless you�re someplace very dark. There are five planets we can see with our naked eyes, but no one doubts that the most appealing is -- and long has been -- Mars. Mars attracts. Why is this? What�s so special about this planetary neighbor? Well, of course, it sports a bit of color, looking slightly reddish-orange to our eyes. In contrast, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter are all blandly white, and Saturn is only faintly yellow. Mars� ruddy complexion might remind you of blood, as it did the Romans � which is why they named this object after their god of war. (With blood in mind, the Romans could have opted for their god of medicine, Aesculapius. But who could pronounce that?) Mars has visual appeal. But let�s face it: the Red Planet developed a fan club only after the invention of the telescope. (SETI Institute) |
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