I have been looking forward to this event for several weeks now and thought I would share it for those who may not yet be aware of it. You may have already noticed its distinct presence in the sky as Mars' is gearing up to be closer to the Earth than it has been since 57997 BC. Though closer than normal passes have occurred more recently in 1766, 1845 and 1924, this proximity takes home the award for closest. So be sure to head outside on 27 August and check out Mars. Those with even amateur-level telescopes should be able to see some surface or atmospheric detail.

• NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Mission to Mars
• NASA Science: Approaching Mars
• Space.com: Mars Watch