Mars won't be spotted thru TIM<\/p>\n
Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
It's not going to reoccur for another 13 years at least, but if
\nyou're hoping to catch a glimpse of the planet Mars as it passes
\nclosest to Earth from the Jakarta Planetarium at Taman Ismail
\nMarzuki (TIM) in Central Jakarta this weekend, think again.<\/p>\n
Due to technical repairs on its projectors, the Jakarta
\nPlanetarium has been closed to the public this past week, and it
\nlooks like it will be closed all through the Idul Fitri holiday.<\/p>\n
\"The projector broke down last Sunday, so it's been a week
\nalready. And on Tuesday we begin the Idul Fitri holiday, so we'll
\nalso be closed until Nov. 8,\" a security guard at the
\nPlanetarium's office told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.<\/p>\n
With the Bosscha Observatory in Lembang, West Java, also
\nclosed for the Idul Fitri holiday, amateur astronomers and
\nenthusiasts would have to settle for their backyard telescopes to
\nsee Mars.<\/p>\n
Although not as record breaking as the red planet's Aug. 28,
\n2003 approach to Earth -- when it hovered from \"only\" 56 million
\nkilometers away, closest to Earth than anytime since 60,000 years
\nago -- more people will be able to catch a glimpse because it
\nwill glow above the horizon.<\/p>\n
Mars's orbit brought this fourth planet from the sun closest
\nto the Earth on Sunday at about 69.4 million kilometers away,
\nassistant researcher at the Bosscha Observatory, Gabriel Iwan
\nPrasetiono, said.<\/p>\n
And on Nov. 7 the planet's orbit will bring it in a straight
\nline with the sun and Earth. The two planets, normally separated
\nby about 224 million kilometers, will not be this close again
\nuntil 2018.<\/p>\n
\"During this time, Mars is at it's largest and can be seen
\nmost clearly from Earth,\" Iwan said.<\/p>\n
The weather, however, may not be favorable for stargazing, and
\nIwan said that unless enthusiasts use a radio telescope, they
\nwould not be able to see the planet during cloudy weather.<\/p>\n
\"Because optical telescopes would not be able to penetrate the
\nclouds,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mars-wont-be-spotted-thru-tim-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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