Today at 3:51pm (0951 GMT) the two planets will be 56 million kilometres (35 million miles) apart -- about the closest they can get.

Mars has been visible as a bright orange object in the night sky for many weeks.

It currently outshines any other celestial body except the moon and venus.

The event will be a feast for astronomers who, with a small telescope, will be able to pick out surface details on the planet such as its southern ice cap.

It will be a treat even with the naked eye but could provoke a crop of spurious UFO sightings.

Skywatchers in Bangladesh will also share the world enthusiasm as different organisations have taken preparations to make the best of the spectacular sighting.

The Deshjure Mangal Utsab Committee has organised a discussion on mars at the Buet (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology) auditorium at 4:00pm.

Mars will be shown through three telescopes from the Buet ground from 8:00pm.

The Bangladesh Astronomical Association, and National Science and Technology Museum will camp at the Agargaon area for skywatchers to see mars.

A three-day programme including science quiz competition for school children, seminar, film festival begins at 6:30pm today at the National Science and Technology Museum at Agargaon.

A huge telescope will be ready from 8:00pm to midnight on August 28-29 for the mars enthusiasts.

Looking south at midnight from August 27-30, mars should appear as the brightest object in the sky.

Earth has a more-or-less circular orbit while mars takes a more elliptical path around the star.

This means mars passes closer to earth than usual at various times.