Mars to come closest to Earth in 15 years next month
Washington, June 18 : Star gazers could have a good view of the Red Planet next month as Mars is set to come to the closest point to Earth since 2003 when it reaches opposition with the Sun in late July.
This year, Mars opposition will occur on July 27, according to NASA.
During opposition, Mars is especially photogenic because it can be seen fully illuminated by the Sun as viewed from Earth.
"Since Mars and the Sun appear on opposite sides of the sky, we say that Mars is in 'opposition'," NASA explained.
Every 15 or 17 years, opposition occurs within a few weeks of Mars' perihelion - the point in its orbit when it is closest to the Sun.
"An opposition can occur anywhere along Mars' orbit. When it happens while the Red Planet is closest to the Sun (called 'perihelic opposition'), Mars is particularly close to Earth," NASA said.
On July 27, Mars will be in perihelic opposition, Express.co.uk reported on Sunday. But some perihelic oppositions bring Earth and Mars closer together than others, the US space agency said.
The 2003 opposition was the closest approach in almost 60,000 years, it added.
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Complainants hail HC order dismissing CM's petition challenging Guv's order
Bengaluru (PTI): The complainants, who were granted sanction by the Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot after they sought an order for probe from the special court against the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a site allotment case, on Tuesday hailed the High Court's verdict dismissing his petition challenging the approval.
The Chief Minister had challenged the approval given by Gehlot for an investigation against him in the alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) in a prime locality.
The Governor on August 16 accorded sanction under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for the commission of the alleged offences as mentioned in the petitions submitted to him by the three complainants -- Abraham T J, Snehamayi Krishna and Pradeep Kumar S P.
“We had petitioned in the High Court seeking the dismissal of Siddaramaiah's plea. Whatever objections we had filed, the order has come accordingly, which is a matter of pleasure for us,” Abraham told reporters soon after a single judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna dismissed Siddaramaiah’s petition.
When told that the Chief Minister may challenge the order in the division bench, Abraham said: “Let him challenge in the division bench. He will use his legal rights. Since he is moving the (High Court's) division bench, we are filing a caveat there.”
Krishna said: “We had brought to the notice of the High Court that Siddaramaiah’s role is there in the irregularities. Accordingly, the Honourable Court gave its order.”
Krishna claimed that there was "unshakable" documentary evidence available against the Chief Minister. “He will lose whichever court he goes to."
After completing the hearings on the petition in six sittings from August 19, Justice Nagaprasanna on September 12 reserved the verdict.
On August 19, Siddaramaiah moved the High Court challenging the legality of the Governor's order.
