Local park will open early for Mars view

No one alive will ever be this close to the Red Planet again.

This week, Mars will be the most visible from the Earth it has been since cavemen gazed up into the night sky.

To celebrate the celestial event, Mistletoe State Park will open its gate at 4 a.m. on Wednesday for a Mars-watching event.

"We'll have a telescope set up, and the public can bring their own," said Brenda Bettross, a clerk at the park.

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Bettross said park manager Bill Tinley is an astronomy buff and wanted to share the unique viewing experience with the public.

Mars will pass within 35 million miles of Earth on Aug. 27 and, next to the moon, will the brightest object in the night sky. Mars hasn't been this close for 60,000 years, according to the official NASA Web site.

"This is the closest Mars is going to be to the earth for the next 280 years," Bettross said. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

There is no charge for the event.