This was all over the news and the Internet. Somebody picked up a story from
last year's Mars opposition (a pretty inaccurate story, as it turns out) and
started circulating it again, with the year changed from 2003 to 2004. I
don't
know if it was a deliberate hoax or just some stupidity.

I'll go with stupidity....
Clear, Dark, Steady Skies!
(And considerate neighbors!!!)