Anyway, here's the article. I can't seem to make a "clicky" of the url below.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051024/sc_afp/spaceastronomymars&printer=1

Eyes to the sky for the Mars spectacular Mon Oct 24, 5:49 PM ET

The last time Mars swung so close to Earth, Hindu seers foretold of war, European astrologers predicted love and Germany reported a rash in UFO sightings.

Thus is the spell cast by planetary alignment, so extreme predictions and odd events seem entirely possible this week as Mars and Earth edge together once more.

On Sunday, October 30, the Red Planet will be 69.4 million kilometers (43.1 million miles) from Earth -- a distance that in galactic terms is less than wafer-thin and will not be equalled until 2018.

Skywatchers are rubbing their hands at the opportunity.

In the runup to Sunday, but also for much of November, Mars will appear as a big orangey-yellow "star" in the east, an object so bright that it should be visible in almost any conditions of light pollution, says the US publication Sky & Telescope.

Weather permitting -- on Earth and also on Mars, where there are some worrying signs of an impending dust storm -- anyone with a modest telescope should be able to pick out some of the features that make Mars so special.

According to the French magazine Ciel et Espace, anyone who invests in a small 60mm (two-inch) -diameter telescope, priced in many countries at around 150 euros (180 dollars), should be easily able to spot Syrtis Major, Mars' most recognisable characteristic.

This vast region of cratered plateaux appears as a dark, roughly triangular-shaped tongue whose point heads towards Mars' North Pole.

They should also be able to make out Helas, a vast impact crater that is often covered by whitish mist and is sometimes mistaken for Mars' southern polar icecap.

Invest a couple of thousand euros (dollars) or more to get a telescope with a diametre of 200mm (eight inches) or more -- or go to your nearest observatory or visit an astronomy website -- and some really hunky stuff comes into view.

For size, nothing beats Mons Olympus, 26,000 metres (84,500 feet) high -- the biggest volcano in the Solar System. And Arizona's Grand Canyon would fit snugly inside Valles Marineris -- seven kms (four miles) deep and 200 kms (120 miles) across.

Mars' southern pole, seasonally shrunk by summer heat, will appear as a brilliant white dot. And with luck, one night you may bag Mars' tiny moons, Phobos and Deimos, which once were asteroids until they were captured by the Martian gravity.

On August 27, 2003, Earth and Mars were a mere 55.76 million kms (34.65 million miles) apart, the closest in almost 60,000 years.

This time, the planets are slight farther apart, but the viewing prospects are better than in 2003, says the Institute of Celestial Mechanics at the Paris Observatory.

This is because, in 2003, Mars' course barely took it above the horizon for viewers in Earth's northern hemisphere, which meant the image was distorted by light passing through the atmosphere.

Earth, the third planet from the Sun, takes 365 and a quarter days to go around its star. Mars, the fourth planet, takes 687 Earth Days.

That means they come close every 26 months or so. But both planets take a slightly elliptical path around the Sun, and this factor determines precisely how close the flyby will be.

The next time the planets will be closer than in 2003 will be in 2287.

Bruce:
Thanks for the info. I remember being up there in aug/03 and being amazed at this big bright orange star in the east horizon, but had no clue as to what it was. When I finally found out that it was mars, I realized that I would of enjoyed it alot more if I had known.
Needless to say, I'll be keeping my eye on the eastern horizon this weekend.

It's not a GIANT Mars in the sky, but this weekend is the Perseid Meteor shower. Check in the North and East sky Friday through Monday night. Because of the moon being almost full, the best viewing would be before the moon rises (9:30 on Saturday, 10:30 on Sunday, 11:40 on Monday). They say up to 100 meteors an hour. Should be great from 4-Hills if it's clear.

For those of you who will be attending the POA meeting on Oct 14, heres something to look out for while you sit around your campfire at night.
The orionid meteor showers will be active from october 2 to november 7. It will hit its peak on Oct 21, one week after our meeting.
Keep an eye on the stars that make up Orions club, and you should be able to see the meteors streaking by.
From the position of Orion at 4AM 9.28.06 I would venture to guess that it rises at approximately midnight, it should also be visible in the early hours of the morning in the western sky.
Good viewing!!!

This isn't concerning mars, but if your interested in a spectacular sight, tonight, 12/01/08 venus, jupiter, and the crescent moon will be in alignment. look towards the western sky shortly after sunset.

ENJOY!

That flicking back and forth that got in the way of a perfect view was, of course, the Chinook helicopters.