2.6 Mars Is Getting Larger.

Jay kay, jay kay, Mars isn't getting larger. It's just approaching opposition, on December 24th. However, due to Mar's highly elliptical approach, the date of closest approach will be on December 18th. (It will be "in" the constellation Gemini.) In this photograph, Syrtis Major is shown clearly. NASA has taken this relatively close proximity to land the Pheonix lander on Mars in 2008.