The surface of the planet is iron-rich, giving it that deep red, blood-like color that made the Greeks name it after Ares, after the god of war. The Romans maintained the association, giving it the name of Mars, and even other civilizations also noticed the red tinge — Mars was “Her Desher,” meaning “the red one” in Egypt, while ancient Chinese astronomers called it “the fire star.” Mars always held a fascination for humans, from the ancient times to the present, when news of its close approach tends to take the form of email chain letters.

On this day, August 27, in 2003, Mars made the closest approach to earth since 57,000 years B.C. Its arrival was preceded by a flurry of email messages to the effect that the planet will be as large as the moon.

That misstatement came from an official announcement that said Mars at 75x magnification will be as large as the moon — the magnification, for whatever reason, was left out. If Mars would ever be so close as the email stated, its gravitational pull would cause massive, catastrophic events.