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Around October 30-31, Mars will be at its closest approach to Earth for the next 13 years. Look toward the east during mid-evening hours and you will see the Moon and Mars rising together. According to SpaceWeather.com , "Mars looks like a

brilliant orange star" in its appearance next to the Moon." Mars will be a mere 43 million miles (69 million km) away compared to 140 million miles (225 million km). The last ever-recorded close encounter of Mars occurred on August 27, 2003, when Mars was a merely 35 Million miles away.

Mars, Ramadan, solar/lunar eclipses all during the Holy month for both the Jewish and Islamic world...and then there is Halloween .

On August 27, 2003, Mars, the third smallest planet, will be in "opposition" (when it is opposite the sun or perihelion), and closest to the Earth in more than 70,000 years. The near appearance of the Red Planet will be a spectacular celestial event, and even without a telescope, visible at only a mere 35 million miles away. By late August, the planet Mars will be at its brightest and six times larger than its normal size. A reddish tint will highlight the mysterious planet's elusive surface for Earth watchers to view in detail. Telescopic images may capture weather patterns, dust storms, cloud formations, crater impacts, and other detailed topography, including pictures of Olympus Mons, perhaps the largest volcano in the solar system.

The August 2003, alignment also coincides with The European Mars Express mission carrying a special probe which will search for signs of Martian life, the presence of water, and, map the planet's surface.

New organism raises Mars questions

September 2, 2003

Space Weather News for August 30, 2003
MARS - Today (Aug. 30th) Mars is at perihelion, the end of its lopsided orbit closest to the sun (1.38 AU), which means the sun is beating down on the red planet with unusual intensity. Perihelion marks the beginning of dust storm season on Mars. Why? Sun-warmed air moves. The wind picks up dust. And on Mars small clouds of dust sometimes expand and envelop the whole planet.

AURORA WATCH - Earth is heading for a solar wind stream flowing from a coronal hole on the sun. Our first encounter with the stream could take place on Sept. 2nd, so that's when sky watchers should be alert for possible auroras.

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Mars' Week, August 27, 2003

Magical Night Sky Week - Mars, Full Moon and Shooting Stars

Close Encounters with Mars

Mars - Astronomy Picture of the Day

New Mars Photo Called Sharpest from Earth

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August 18th Update

Magical Night Sky Week - Full Moon and Shooting Stars

Exploring the Red Planet

Two Hours of Mars

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August 11th Update

The latest Mars news!

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August 5th Update

Mars turns retrograde (appears backward moving) - westward; look to the South for an orangish-red planet between midnight and sunrise.

Strange Spots on Mars

News of the Strange and Unexplained - RV Mars

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July 21st Update

Mars Pathfinder Images

NASA's Mars Exploration Program

Tithonia City, The Case for Absolute Artificiality

SETI

University of Washington Astronomy Department - Mars Opposition

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July 17th Update

Photos of Rare Mars-Moon Eclipse

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July 15th Update

July 16 and 17, Mars-Moon Eclipse

Why Mars will be so close to Earth in August?

Where is Mars now?

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Mars - the "war god" of the ancient Romans, Iraq, Bible Codes

Who and what now dwell within the caverns, tunnels, and caves of Iraq?

If they were opened from above,

what sleepers might they reveal hidden beneath the Earth's surface?"

(from the December 2, 2002, Lampholder Newsletter)

**Excerts from The Lampholder Newsletter, December 2, 2002

The Holy Scriptures paint a picture of ancient history by referencing places on Earth in association with the stars and planets. For instance, it is in the Book of Isaiah 63:1-6, where the color "red" is associated with Edom (Edom means "red"), and it is within the Holy Scriptures where the planet Mars is revealed. The "Red Horse" in the Seals referenced in the Book of Revelation indicates the time-period equated to the constellation of Scorpius, known to Aratus as "the great beast" (Rev. 6:3). The red horse equals the symbol for war with rivers of blood (Isaiah 63:2; Rev. 12:3). The 2nd Seal is the result of opening the 1st Seal (Dan 7:24; 11:40-45; Matt 24:6-7) when peace is taken from the Earth, seen in Matthew as "wars and rumors of wars" (from Countdown to Eternity, The 7,000 Year Time-Line in The Book of Revelation, Lampholder Publications, 1998).

Iraq is seen in Ezek 25, 35, 36; Psa 137, Oba 1 and Isa 24; 34. The land of Edom (Esau) is also called also called Idumea or Bozrah (the ancient capitol city). The name Edom was given to Esau, the first-born son of Isaac and twin brother of Jacob. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a meal (Gen 25:30). The country given to Esau was called Edom and the descendants were known as Edomites (Gen 32:3; 36; Deut. 23:7).

The Holy Scriptures have much to reveal about the Edomites and their (certain) predecessors' fate. The people were known as "troglodytes, or dwellers of the caves, "The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD" (Oba 1:3-4; see also Rev 6:12-17).

The Edomites bitterly hated their brethren, the Jews. It was because of this hatred they were punished, "For thy violence against thy brother Jacob...neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction" (Oba 1:10-12). The Edomites believed their strength to be invincible; but it was only four years after Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70, when the Edomites were completely conquered and subsequently absorbed by other cultures.

The name of Babylon dominates the ancient cities mentioned in Scripture, especially in the Book of Revelation; but it is the city of Baghdad where current events prophecy begins to unfold. It was the Abbasid caliph who built the Iraqi city of Baghdad in A.D. 762. He declared it would flourish into a world renowned empire, and it has, especially in the vast wealth found in Iraqi black gold -- the oil reserves revealed in Oba 1, as "...his hidden treasures."

Both ancient history and prophecy unfold in early Mesopotamia, "the land between the two rivers;" namely, the Tigris and Euphrates, and the city of Baghdad, Iraq? Who and what now dwell within the caverns, tunnels, and caves of Iraq? If they were opened from above, what sleepers might they reveal hidden beneath the Earth's surface? And what is their coming fate, "And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them..." (Oba 1:18). --

In October 2000, Bill Koenig, Koenig's International News, http://www.watch.org wrote Lampholder Publications with a question and exceptional comments on Yacov Rambsel's Bible Code-related book, The Genesis Factor: "My friend Yacov Rambsel called me today and said he found the planet Mars and the destruction of Babylon in Iraq close together in a Bible Code search. He does his searches by hand and does not use computer software. He even felt based on his findings that the destruction of Babylon could be imminent based on other things he found in the matrix. He also tied that into the current unrest in Israel and the possible destruction of Babylon by Israel. I told him about you and that I would ask you for your input into this.

He asked if there is a significance of Mars and Babylon showing up together? Also if there is anything unique about where Mars is positioned now ? Thanks! In Christ, Bill

The Lampholder wrote (excerpts):
"...First, I would very much like to know how the Bible Codes associated the planet Mars with Iraq/Saddam, because Mars has long been historically and "mythologically" associated with wars. Most importantly, because one must discern the difference between astrology/astronomy, the time-line marked in the seasons/calendar changes since May of 2000, the end of the 6,000th year, and Biblical prophecy - all of these point to very distinct pattern changes marked in the heavens - and yes, Iraq is figured prominently. Also, you might ask Yacov Rambsel if he has found the Mars' association in the Bible Codes within Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, or the Book of Revelation, because it is there in prophetical astronomy [and ancient Hebrew cosmology]...

The November/December Window of Opportunity

Update Saddam is Captured Alive! The Lampholder Prophecy on Where Would Saddam Hide?

A sign of the reappearance (Qiyam) of the (Imam)

Before the one who will arise (al-qa'im), there will be red death and white death; there will be locusts at their usual time and at their unusual time like the colours of blood. As for red death that is (from) the sword, while white death is (from) plague.'"

Update from July 19th MARS AND WAR - ONE DOWN AND "?" TO GO?

The Lampholder reported in May 2002 on a prophetic window opening revealing an upcoming WAR(s). From Lampholder Publications' The Portal, Part I, "...It is from June 2002, whereby Earth witnesses the reemergence of the Dragon Star or Devil Star (Draconis) as seen in the Great Pyramid's descending passageway. The Dragon Star equates with Scorpius, known to Aratus as "the great beast" (Rev. 6:3). The May 5, 2000, planetary alignment revealed the Dragon Star's return. The Dragon Star is the "666" of Biblical prophecy aka, the anti-christ. Before the Portal was opened, the dark side associated with the Dragon Star remained behind-the-scenes/hidden, but now that the Portal is opened "evil" will be displayed openly. This is very evident in the evil actions of Uosama bin Laden and the terrorist attack against the World Trade Center in Sept of 2001. Uosama and those involved in terrorism are led by the dark side of the Portal."

In ancient prophecy, this time-period would be marked with head-to-head conflict

Prophetically, the world is now entering upon a very dangerous time-period that will last

through the entire month of July 2001, and extend through (and beyond) August 2003.

In 1924, when Mars made a near approach to Earth, radios throughout the country went silent for several minutes every hour for several days. It was called the National Radio Silence Day to "listen" for Martian signals from space. If one were to pick the best time to listen for incoming Mars' communication, this August 27th would be the ideal time to lock-in the transformer antennae and point toward the Southeast..

Perhaps the mysterious aura surrounding the planet Mars is largely due to its rusty, dark reddish-orange color and the eerie craters resembling the face of shadowy figures peering out from its rugged surface? It is interesting to note that even before the telescope, the ancients observed the orangish colorations and intriguing surface. Eratosthenes' wrote about Mars a century before the emergence of Christianity. In Delambre's Ancient Astronomy, Edinburgh referred to Eratosthenes' Mars as Puroeides, the color of fire. (1) An early Rabbinical name for Mars was Ma'adim (Adom), meaning red/made like blood; in the Arab (Melekh) red, as in blood shedding; the Persian, Azar, meaning blood-flowing; or the Egyptian Khem, meaning red/angry. (2) In the Bible, the root word for Mars is Edom. In Isaiah 63:1-6, Edom is associated with the color red, and the elder brother of Jacob who brought forth the Edomites of Idumaea (or Idumea).**

As Mars approaches closer to Earth, even the hardcore skeptic finds it difficult to ignore the ancient legends and stormy reputation following the close encounters with the "red planet." Ancient myths, legends, and early astrology connected the planet Mars with violence, a malevolent indicator of war, bloodshed, and at times, heroic blind sidedness. Mars has long been associated with the mythological "god of war," Ares, who ruled the constellation of Aries (and also Scorpius). Mars represented zealous extremism, whether for evil or good (as in the Arabic, Al Hamal, the sheep, or the Hebrew name, Taleh, the lamb, later associated with the Gospel in the Stars' theory of the Blood of Christ).

On June 21, 2001, an ancient, mysterious form of mythology, current events, and prophecy came to the forefront of history. It was 13 years earlier when Mars was in a similar "oppositional" relationship - the Earth orbiting between the Sun and Mars. This opposition occurred between the constellations of Scorpius and Sagittarius, near the bright star Antares, "the rival of Mars." This is the heavenly sector given to the ancient Babylonian worship of Marduk, the mighty warrior/conqueror - Nimrod (Genesis 10), and the prophetic stellar, Biblical indicator of the future anti-christ. An example of this is found in Amos 5:26: "But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch [sun god; a type of Nimrod] and Chiun [Saturn] your images, the star [planet] of your god which ye made to yourselves [to worship; idolatry].

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and at minimum, at least 35 million miles from Earth. In June 2001, the red planet was only a mere 42 millions miles away, closer to Earth than it had been in 13 years. The June 21, 2001, opposition of Mars and Earth was just the forerunner to the even more spectacular August 27th alignment -- a similar type of alignment will not occur for at least another 280+ years.

During August 2003, Mars will be closer to Earth than it has been in over 70,000 year, and it will brilliantly outshine even the Moon, Venus, and Jupiter. Even more important, this event will mark a significant time-frame surrounding the 6,000 years found in ancient, Biblical prophecy. In relation to time-patterns in history, the ancient Rabbins and early Christianity gave the Earth an approximate 6,000-year lease (from the time of Adam) which supposedly culminates between the years A.D. 2001 to 2014. This is the time-frame given by early scholars that will herald the rise of one known as the anti-christ. It is also interesting to note, from The Lampholder Newsletter, September 2001, that the Great Year of the Precession of the Equinox began its end in September 2001.