"Two Moons in the Sky Aug 27th!!" How should I respond?

[alfaniner]

I received this "shared" post on Facebook:

12:30 Aug 27th you will see two moons in the sky, but only one will be the moon. The other will be Mars. It won't happen again until 2287. No one alive today has ever witnessed this happening.

How should I respond, if at all?

"No, we won't."

"If it will look like that to us, we're all going to die."

"The last lifeforms that saw something like that all died."

"LOL. I love that joke."

"Check Snopes before posting."

(Long scientific explanation)

"It takes a second to make a stupid claim. It takes much longer to show why it is stupid."

"Funny, this just happened last year. And in 2012. And 2011. And every year before that since the internet existed."

So far no one has commented or re-shared the post in this case. (I know it has been done many times already.) It "seems" to be an un-ironic share but I don't want to say anything unless I think any of my relatives believe it.

 

[deaman]

Scientifically discuss unicorns.

 

[Loss Leader]

My go-to response is "Snopes says this isn't true" with a link. Then you're not being the smart-ass, Barbara Mikkelson is.

 

[crescent]

I usually just look these things up on Snopes, then reply with the link to the Snopes page - only the link, no commentary.

I don't do it very often, as I worry that it makes me look like a self important know-it-all.

Also, Loss Leader probably types faster than I do.

 

[edd]

Obligatory Eddie:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=HXZZr3fEgYI

 

[Ray Brady]

"Does this genuinely sound plausible to you, or are you just too quick on the Like button?"

 

[arthwollipot]

 

[RedPillNeo]

Velikovsky? Is that you?

 

[Myriad]

Technically, there will be a number of moons in the sky, including the moons of mars and several other planets.

However, it is not likely that you will "see them" unless you have an exceptionally good telescope (or get a good look at Jupiter just before the sun rises), and mars itself will certainly not be one of them. And of course, it'll happen again the next night and the night after and about 100,000 more times before 2287, and many people alive today have already witnessed it.

 

[Daylightstar]

I received this "shared" post on Facebook:


How should I respond, if at all?
...

Tell them if they want to preview the celestial situation on that date and time, they could download the free planetarium program Stellarium (stellarium.org).

E.T.A. Or you may mention that the ringed planet Saturn appears near (small angualar distance) Mars in the sky.

Alternatively, you may mention that the beautiful ringed planet Saturn will appear as large as your thumb, right next to Mars, just forget to mention that this is valid for looking through a telescope at several 100 magnification.

 

[catsmate]

Ask him about Cruithne and 2006RH₁₂₀

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Technically, there will be a number of moons in the sky, including the moons of mars and several other planets.

Big Bang Theory called, can you do a cameo?

 

[Daylightstar]

Another suggestion: you could say that since Saturn and Mars are near each other' in the sky on that day and Saturn appearing so large, that the planet Mars may get too close and disturb the rings of Saturn and that Saturn may be without rings in the near future.

Watch the warring red planet crash into the rings of the planet of innocent serenity.
A 'real' once in a lifetime opportunity to witness such celestial drama.

Stellarium is always an interesting suggestion.

 

[Donn]

Tell them that objects in the fibber always appear closer than they are.

 

[aggle-rithm]

Another suggestion: you could say that since Saturn and Mars are near each other' in the sky on that day and Saturn appearing so large, that the planet Mars may get too close and disturb the rings of Saturn and that Saturn may be without rings in the near future.
.

"Mars only crashes into Saturn ONCE IN A LIFETIME, if that often! Don't miss it!"

 

[pgwenthold]

You could tell the person that if they come over to your house, they can see not only 2 moons, but also Uranus.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

You can see the moon shine at my house even in the daytime.

 

[zooterkin]

Ask him about Cruithne and 2006RH₁₂₀

Neither is not a moon of the Earth (though both have been described as such at one time). Current consensus seems to be that there is only one Moon.

 

[alfaniner]

Technically, there will be a number of moons in the sky, including the moons of mars and several other planets.

However, it is not likely that you will "see them" unless you have an exceptionally good telescope (or get a good look at Jupiter just before the sun rises), and mars itself will certainly not be one of them. And of course, it'll happen again the next night and the night after and about 100,000 more times before 2287, and many people alive today have already witnessed it.

I actualy did think of that one but it fell under "Long scientific explanation".

I went with "LOL. I love that joke." I checked a couple hours later for any responses but the post was taken down. I feel the same way as when I told the guys at the gun range that their American Flag was being displayed incorrectly, and they immediately changed it.

 

[catsmate]

Neither is not a moon of the Earth (though both have been described as such at one time). Current consensus seems to be that there is only one Moon.

Pseudo-satelllites at best I agrees.