SOCIAL media has been abuzz with the news that there will be twin moons tonight. According to Urban Legends, the “Mars Close to Earth” post on social media networks is a hoax.
This online rumor has been circulated annually since 2003 and claims August 27 will be the occasion of the closest encounter between Mars and Earth in recorded history, during which, supposedly, Mars will appear as large as the full moon and it will look like the earth has two moons.
Urban Legends said Mars is never close enough to earth to appear as large as the full moon.
An event not unlike this occurred 11 years ago (in 2003). However, no such cosmic encounter is expected in 2014, or indeed for quite some time to come.
Epoch Times also reported that NASA debunked the myth in 2005, and a number of astronomical websites have said the same thing.
EarthSky also noted the hoax on its website.
