Updated 27 August 2020 at 18:01 IST
Two Moons tonight? Debunking the claim of Mars looking the same size as Moon
Two Moons tonight? has been a question for many enthusiasts who believe that Mars will appear to be as big as the Moon on August 27, however, it is false.
Social media in the past has seen some netizens claiming bizarre things which do not hold any truth. However, the fake claim in question today has been doing the rounds around the world before the inception of social media. Back in early August, Republic World had falsified the claims of planet Mars looking like the same size as the Moon on August 27. But, netizens have not stopped believing the same and keep on posting tweets and content which claim people will get to see two moons on August 27, 2020. Check those posts out below -
Original fact check - Fact Check: Will Mars Look As Big As The Moon On August 27 This Year?
Claims debunked
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Though it is confirmed that Mars will be at its brightest due to its 15-year orbit peaking soon, it does not mean that the planet will come as close as Earth's Moon and look equivalent to its size to the naked eye. This has been defined by Wikipedia as the 'Mars Hoax' and started off in 2003 due to an e-mail chain. The hoax, since then done the rounds on social media portals and other e-portals for over one and a half decade. While at times the hoax claims that two moons will be visible to the naked eye, others claim that the two celestial bodies will appear as what was termed as 'The Double Moon', similar to the binary sunset shown in the Star Wars film.
Star Wars IV: A new hope - Binary Sunset (YouTube)
But, it is impossible for Mars to look similar to the Moon, as seen from planet Earth. EarthSky.org reports that when Mars appears parallel to a full moon, its diameter appears to be 1/140th the diameter of the full moon. To see Mars with the naked eye equivalent to the size of the Moon from Earth, the red-planet would have to dangerously close to Earth. As of now, with the set course Mars follows, the closest it has come to the Earth was back in 2018, where it still appeared to be a tiny dot of flame which cannot be anywhere comparable to the visible size of the moon from the planet. Thus, if social media-inspired people stay up till predawn to watch the Moon and Mars come together will simply be surprised and sleep-deprived.
Published By : Amir Khollam
Published On: 27 August 2020 at 18:00 IST