In its most favorable position for viewing, when it is opposite the Sun, Mars is twice as bright as the brightest star in the sky. The Red Planet was even more visible in 2003, when it made its closest approach to Earth in nearly 60,000 years, passing within 35 million mi (56 million km) of us. An email sent during the 2003 approach has spawned hoax emails saying that during an upcoming approach Mars will appear as big as the Moon. When is the next time Mars will be as close as it was in 2003? Discuss