The two planets are racing toward each other at a rate of about 30 kilometers every five seconds, until they are as close as they ever can be on August 27.

The slightly elliptical curve of their orbits causes this rare meeting, which occurs only once every 60,000 years -- meaning Neanderthals were the last people to have such an up-close look at Mars.

More distant, but still close encounters are slightly more common. The most recent of those were in the months of August in 1924, 1845 and 1766.

At their closest, Earth is still 55.7 million kilometers (34.6 million miles) away from Mars. It's a seemingly great distance, but is relatively small considering the vastness of the solar system.

Even now, the Red Planet appears in the late evening as a bright point with a reddish-orange tint, inside the constellation of Aquarius.

Amateur telescopes can see Mars in unusual detail, notably the ice cap on its southern pole, which reflects the Sun's light and looks like an enormous white spot.

"I can see the polar ice vividly using my eight-inch (20-centimeter) telescope," said Ron Wayman, an amateur astronomer in Tampa, Florida.

From now through August, Mars will continue to grow brighter. On August 27, only Venus will shine brighter in the night sky.

Exactly how good a view amateurs can get depends on where they're standing, when they're looking, and how powerful their telescope is.

Mars will reach its highest point in the sky around 3:00 a.m. (0700 GMT).

Astronomers closer to the equator will get better views than their counterparts at more distant latitudes.

The daily newspaper USA Today joked that with Mars, the ancient Roman god of war, so close to Earth, it would be the perfect time for a Martian invasion.

Instead Earthlings have already launched their invasion of Mars. Three probes -- two from the United States and one from Europe -- are already headed toward Mars, where they are expected to land early next year.

SPACE.WIRE