Close to earth...

[Astro-Nova]

Can anyone tell me when(which date) each planet will be closest to earth as it ever will be? Is this then an annual thing or is it over another period of time for it to be repeated?

1.Moon

2.Saturn

3.Jupiter

4.Venus

5.Mars

6.Other planets?

And if a planet is as close to the earth as it will ever get, will this make a difference in how much detail you will see than if it is at its furthest point to earth? And would you then be able to view it with a less magnification as you, for example, would normally use a barlow?

[Tinker1947]

I think its around 2020'ish

[Stu Skywatcher]

Astro-Nova, have you seen this? Solar System Scope

You can probably answer all of your questions by having a play with it.....

[che guevara]

Wednesday

[Astro-Nova]

oh that is rather helpful thanks stu! ill save that link

[JamesF]

Don't know about "ever", but frankly if I'd have to wait more than forty years I'd probably best not bother However, Mars is closest to Earth on this "pass" on 5th March.

James

[Astro-Nova]

Don't know about "ever", but frankly if I'd have to wait more than forty years I'd probably best not bother However, Mars is closest to Earth on this "pass" on 5th March.

James

good thing ive ordered my scope then, although I think it will arrive after the 5th

[Ags]

All the planets go around the sun in the same direction. The speed of each planet decreases with distance from the sun.

The Earth and Mars have neighbouring orbits, so their orbital speed is similar. This means it takes a long time for Earth to lap Mars - about 2.25 years.

Jupiter and Saturn are far from the sun so Earth laps them in just over a year. But because they are far from the sun, they are far from the Earth even when they are closest (at opposition). In contrast, Mars is so much closer at opposition it increases dramatically in apparent size for the month or two it is close.

[glowjet]

If you are interested in having access to such information and everything Astronomical, a copy of Sir PM`s 500 page Data Book of Astronomy would not go amiss, just about covers everything. Original publication was in 1979 as Astronomical Facts and Figures, but has since been expanded and updated and was republished in 2011 by Cambridge University Press. One of the most useful reference books I posses