There will be close approach of the Moon to Mars on the night of July 16-17, and for observers in the southern tip of Florida, the Carribean, and southern Mexico to northwestern South America, it will be an occultation. Local times range from midnight on the West coast to 5 AM in the eastern US. The graze line runs SW to NE through Florida from Ft. Meyers, north of Lake Okeechobee, to Sebastian. Mars will have magnitude -1.9 at the time. Poke around http://www.skyandtelescope.com for more details. Mars is approaching opposition in late August, and this will be its closest approach to Earth in human history. Already it is very bright in the night sky. At its peak, Mars will be magnitude -2.9 and 25.1" diameter. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com