In article ,
Andrew Yee wrote:

This is how news gets distorted.....

ESA News
http://www.esa.int

25 August 2003

Close encounters with Mars

On 27 August 2003, Mars is less than 56 million kilometres away --
approaching closer to our planet than it has done in over 60,000 years.

....well, not quite. The last time Mars got closer to the Earth than
on 27 August 2003 was on 12 September -57616 (TDT, Julian calendar).
This is almost 59619 years ago, and back then the Neanderthals ruled
the Earth and man had not yet set foot on Australia. But despite
that, it is NOT "over 60,000 years" ago...

For more info, check out:

http://main.chemistry.unina.it/~alvi.../MarsDist.html

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