Little green men may not be coming, but people across the Commonwealth -- and the world -- are in tizzy about the planet Mars.
At 5:51 a.m. Wednesday, Mars passed closer to Earth than ever before, the two planets separated by only 34.6 million miles. On average, the bodies at their closest are usually 48 million miles apart.
With distance between the planets significantly lessened, the Hubble Space Telescope was able to capture features of the red planet as small as 17 miles across.
Even from ground-based telescopes, University Astronomy Prof. Edward Murphy said the planet's polar ice cap and the dark markings on its surface were clearly visible.
Mars last passed this close to the Earth in the year 57,617 B.C.
To commemorate the event, the University's Leander McCormick Observatory held a special observing session Wednesday evening.
Despite the compelling historic value of the event, Murphy still said he was impressed with the student turnout. The Wednesday evening viewing drew about 80 students.
"People have seen pictures taken of Mars ... but hundreds of them are still coming out to see Mars with their own eyes," Murphy said. "That's what's so special about this, the chance to see Mars this close with your own eyes."
Mars will next come this close to Earth on August 28, 2287.
The next viewing through the observatory's 26-inch refractor open to both the general public and students is from 11:45 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. tonight. Space is limited and only 200 participants will be able to actually view the planet through the telescope.
Another session specifically for students may be planned in the next couple of weeks while the planet remains close to the Earth, Murphy said.
The period between mid-August and mid-September is the "prime viewing" period for the planet, notorious for having a "wildly eccentric" orbit, according to a local amateur astronomer.
Shenandoah Astronomical Society President Bill Devlin said members of his society and readers of his weekly column in the Northern Virginia Daily were excited to finally capture good glimpses of the elusive red planet.
"We been receiving calls all week for people who want to get a look at Mars," Devlin said.
He stressed that there is a marked difference in what one can see through a telescope with the planets so close. If Mars in its current size through a lens is placed at the size of a quarter, last year at the same time it would have been the size of a BB gun pellet.
At a Shenandoah Astronomical Society-hosted event at Shenandoah River Andy Guest State Park, south of Front Royal, society members set up nine telescopes and park goers were allowed to view the planet.
Other special events planned by the University Astronomy Department will be announced in ASTR 121 and 124 classes, Murphy said.
The observatory also will host two more special Mars observing sessions Friday, Sept. 5 and Friday, Sept. 12.
Special exhibits celebrating the historic event will be on display at the Observatory Museum throughout the fall and feature a rare Mars meteorite and a three-dimensional viewing of the surface of the Red Planet.
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