The reason the moon and mars are so spectacular is that they are as close to
the earth as they get.  At least on December 23, 07,there was less than a
degree of separation between mars and the moon at 10:00 PM and in Europe the
moon would occult mars.  Mars will not be this close again until 2010. The
moon was almost directly overhead causing little shadow and will not be this
high in the sky again until 2020 so I was told.

Pretty good stuff









On 12/25/07 11:29 AM, "John Leeke" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Yes, we had the moon and mars here in Portland, Maine, too.
> 
> It's dusk here by 3:30pm, and pitch dark by 5:00 when we stepped out to
> walk down to the neighbor's for Christmas Eve celebrations.
> 
> Air clear, cold, calm. The silver dollar Moon rising over oceanic fog
> bank laying across the harbor drifting out across the Gulf of Maine to
> the Atlantic. Slight half halo encircles the moon out past three wispy
> clouds floating by, with Mars close in, not the familiar faint pink,
> rather striking red beacon.
> 
> Phyllis and I stopped to observe the spectacle, then struggled to keep
> an eye on it and the icy brick sidewalks, stopping at a few  neighbors
> to drop off warm loaves of Czech houska holiday bread, arriving at the
> party--neighbors, brothers of neighbors, nieces of neighbors, cousins of
> acquaintances, beaus of the now grown girls across the street--friendly
> folks every one. All chow down on Pilot Bread and Lobstah Choudah.
> 
> John Leeke
> 
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