Rare Opportunity to Watch Mars Through Giant Telescope in Sri Lanka
Colombo, Jul 30 (Prensa Latina) Large telescopes in the University of Colombo will be open to the General Public on 31st July 2018 to watch Planet Mars as well as the most beautiful planet Saturn till 10.00 p.m.
The Colombo University Astronomical Society will conduct another two astronomical night sky observations camps jointly with the committee for the popularization of science of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science on August 1st at the Vijitha Madya Maha Vidyalaya in Pollonnaruwa and on August 2nd at the Sinhala Madya Maha Vidyalaya in Trincomalee.
The planet Mars, the only planet whose surface we can see using ground based telescopes (except for tiny Mercury) is coming closer to the earth on 31st of July 2018 after 15 years.
Last seen this closer was on 2003 and next closest is 2020 and super closest is on 2035. At the close approach, the red planet will be brighter than all the stars in the night sky and therefore you will never miss this reddish colour planet as a naked eye bright object in the eastern sky after the sun set.
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