Mars closest to Earth in nearly 60,000 years

The wandering of the planets is bringing Mars closer to Earth than at any time in nearly 60,000 years.

Just 34.6 million miles of space will separate the two planets on August 27.

Mars was five times as distant just six months ago, and won't be as close again until August 28, 2287.

Already, Mars has begun to loom large in the late evening sky, its rusty twinkle apparent in the south east.

Aldo Vitagliano, of the University of Naples in Italy, calculates that Mars has not had as close a brush with Earth since September 12, 57617 BC, when Neanderthals ruled but modern man had begun to make inroads.

The Red Planet will still seem small to the naked eye - having the apparent diameter of a small coin seen from 500 feet away. Even though Mars is twice the size of the moon, it will be 145 times as distant.

With binoculars or a telescope, observers can start to pick out details on the planet's surface. The view from even a modest telescope should reveal the planet's southern ice cap.

Next week, astronomers will send radio waves from antennas on Earth that will bounce off Mars to study the terrain where one of the two Nasa rovers is targeted to land in January.

The close proximity will improve the resolution of the radar images, says Albert Haldemann, deputy project scientist for the rover mission.

Planetariums around the world are planning Mars-gazing parties beginning on the evening of August 26, and the Hubble Space Telescope is expected to take a close-approach portrait of the planet.