There's an email spreading rapidly across the internet that claims the planet Mars will be the closest it has ever been to Earth in recorded history. Unfortunately, that's not true! Its a HOAX.
Actually, Mars was 34 million miles from Earth back in August of 2003. That was the closest we've been to the Red Planet since caveman days. But we won't be that close this August.
One e-mail actually claims Mars will appear as large as the moon on August 23rd. Not true! Mars is actually at its closest distance from Earth this year in late October. You will be able to see Mars then with your naked eye, but it will look more like a very bright reddish-orange star. It will not appear as large as the Moon. If you want to see any of the Red Planet's surface features, you will need a telescope.