IT'S AN ILLUSION

Last August 18, 2008 I received another of those chain letters forwarded by a friend regarding the reverse course of planet Mars. Translation is as following:

"This information is from xxxxxxxx. He read an article about planet Mars (closest planet to Earth) has exprienced a reversed course last September. It shows that planet closest to Mars would also have a similar experience. Then the sun would rise in the west, a sign of the approach of the end of time. In the mean time the door to

salvation would be closed. Astronomers are saying that Earth is just marking time. This information is not revealed to all and in fact it's revealation has been stopped by NASA. It is not to be revealed widely as it would only benefit the Muslims. Please take note."

While it wasn't clear what was read out the above email may just as well prove how backward and still ancient some people can be........

Now, this observable phenomenon have indeed puzzled man in ancient times. Not until 1543 that the odd retrograde loops motion was first explained by Copernicus by exchanging Earth with the Sun as the centre of the solar system. You see, at the time when Earth and Mars are moving in the same direction but since Mars is moving at a slower pace, it appears as moving backward. It is nothing more than an illusion. The apparent backward motion of Mars usually happen after October 1 when it loops towards the west. After December 10, it would appear as looping back eastward. This had happened in 2005, 2003 and as far back as the ancient times. In fact other planets may be observed to do “retrograde motion” too as Earth laps planets orbiting further from the sun.

God is great....!