Isn't Mars the god of war? And its getting nearer??? Anyway, I will be looking skyward, if  it ever stops raining here.

Never again in your lifetime will the Red Planet be so spectacular! This
month and next month the Earth is catching up with Mars, an encounter
that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in
recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. 
Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, 
astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to 
Earth in the last 5,000 years but it may be as long as 60,000 years.
The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within
34,649,589 miles and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in
the night sky.  It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc
seconds wide.  At a modest 75-power magnification Mars will look as large
as the full moon to the naked eye.  Mars will be easy to spot.  At the
beginning of August, Mars will rise in the east at 10 p.m. and reach its
azimuth at about 3 a.m.
By the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at
nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30 a.m.  That's pretty 
convenient when it comes to seeing something that no human has been
in recorded history.  So mark your calendar at the beginning of August to
see Mars grows progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month.
Share with your children and grandchildren.  No one alive today will ever
see this again.