When earthdweller Patrick Vantuyne [ mailto:tridi@hotmail .com.nospam ] wondered what his home planet's single large moon would look like if viewed from Mars [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] on July 17, he availed himself of the JPL Solar System Simulator [
http://space.jpl.na…]. Of course, when viewed from Earth on that date (tomorrow), the gibbous Moon will pass tantalizingly close to Mars [
http://www.space.co…where_is_mars.html ] for observers in North, Central, and South America and will actually pass in front of [
http://skyandtelesc…article_999_1.asp ] (occult) the Red Planet for some locations, including much of Florida. Vantuyne's efforts [
http://users.pandor…] were rewarded with this remarkable simulated view of the crescent Moon against the background of a darkened Earth. From the martian vantage [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] point, the lunar orb is seen just below the tip of the Florida peninsula at 8:05 GMT [
http://aa.usno.navy…]. Observers on planet Earth who want to watch the corresponding Moon/Mars show [
http://skyandtelesc…article_999_1.asp ] in tomorrow's predawn sky should note the viewing times for selected cities [
http://www.space.co…moon_mars_030711.htm l#neartime ].
Explanation
When earthdweller Patrick Vantuyne [ mailto:tridi@hotmail .com.nospam ] wondered what his home planet's single large moon would look like if viewed from Mars [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] on July 17, he availed himself of the JPL Solar System Simulator [
http://space.jpl.na…]. Of course, when viewed from Earth on that date (tomorrow), the gibbous Moon will pass tantalizingly close to Mars [
http://www.space.co…where_is_mars.html ] for observers in North, Central, and South America and will actually pass in front of [
http://skyandtelesc…article_999_1.asp ] (occult) the Red Planet for some locations, including much of Florida. Vantuyne's efforts [
http://users.pandor…] were rewarded with this remarkable simulated view of the crescent Moon against the background of a darkened Earth. From the martian vantage [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] point, the lunar orb is seen just below the tip of the Florida peninsula at 8:05 GMT [
http://aa.usno.navy…]. Observers on planet Earth who want to watch the corresponding Moon/Mars show [
http://skyandtelesc…article_999_1.asp ] in tomorrow's predawn sky should note the viewing times for selected cities [
http://www.space.co…moon_mars_030711.htm l#neartime ].
Explanation
