In case you haven't seen it, the planet Mars is putting on quite a show in the late night sky. I'm on the west coast (US) and it comes up around 1:00am in the SE sky. I have to wait until almost 2:30 to see it though because of the trees around my house.
Mars is closer to the Earth than it has been for 60,000 years. It's the largest and brightest thing we've ever seen in the sky. On August 27th it will be at its closest. It appears as a huge orange light in the sky and looks so unusual you can't miss it. Right now it's about ten times brighter than Venus and more than twice as big. By the 27th it will be even larger and brighter.
On the 14th of August there will be a full moon with Mars parked just a few degrees off to the right. Should make for some spectacular photos. It was actually partially eclipsed by the moon on the 17th of July for most of the East Coast.
Tonight, the 29th, is a new moon so there won't be any moonlight to interfere with the view. Even binoculars should give you a good view, you'll possibly be able to make out the southern polar ice cap which is tilted towards us.
Just thought I'd let people know it's worth taking a look. It's the first time in the history of modern man there's been a view like this. And fittingly, it's no less than the god of war... 
