NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope snapped this portrait of Mars within minutes of the planet’s closest approach to Earth in nearly 60,000 years in this picture taken by NASA on August 27, 2003. In this picture, the red planet was 34,647,420 miles (55,757,930 km) from Earth. On April 8, 2014, Mars reaches opposition in its nearly two-year orbit, when it’s directly opposite the sun in our sky, and this year Mars will be closer to Earth than it has been since 2007, according to NASA. Picture taken August 27, 2003. REUTERS/NASA/Handout via Reuters (OUTER SPACE – Tags: SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY) ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS IMAGE. THIS PICTURE IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – RTR3KH2Z

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