"Men will be sexually more active," Rui Lorga told daily newspaper A Capital.

"But it will not be just them, obviously women will also feel the influence of Mars, however in a more subtle way," he added.

Other astrologers around the world have issued more pessimistic forecasts, arguing the approach of the Red Planet, which will be a galactically trifling 55.76 million kilometres (34.65 million miles) from Earth on Wednesday -- its closest since Neanderthals walked the planet -- will bring war, terrorism and disaster.

Tens of thousands of amateur and professional stargazers across the globe are hoping to get a close-up look at the fourth planet from the Sun.

SPACE.WIRE