Mars, the red planet is orbiting closer to Earth than it has done in more than a decade. Known as perihelic opposition, it means Mars will appear larger than normal in the night sky. Here is part of the article that I found extremely fascinating: "Scientists have discovered that over many centuries, the orbit of Mars is becoming more elongated. This means that the difference between perihelion and aphelion is growing, but the upside is that future perihelic oppositions will bring Earth and Mars even closer." Perhaps a very long time from now (as in thousands or millions of years) Earth and Mars may collide. via: Daily Mail Mars is set to balloon in size in the night sky next month, as the red planet orbits closer to Earth than it has done in over a decade. Throughout the month of July, the orbit of Mars and Earth will align in a rare phenomenon known as perihelic opposition. This occurs when Mars reaches its closest point to the sun at the same time as Earth's orbit brings it directly