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All Eyes On Mars

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Something special is in the air.

The planet Mars has not been this close to the planet Earth in more than a decade. And Monday night, eager eyes are aimed at the heavens.

CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports from the Adler Planetarium.

"My friend and I are planet nerds so we came out tonight to see the planets," said Zada Johnson.

The Adler Planetarium set up telescopes so anyone from astronomy buffs to the young and curious can see Mars. It's the closest it has been to Earth since 2003.

"Unfortunately Mars has been experiencing a global dust storm for about two months," said Adler Planetarium astronomer Michelle Nichols. "It has pretty much obliterated the surface features. But the fact that they can actually see Mars means it's a world. It's a place."

Added bonus: Venus and Jupiter are in plain view too. Plenty for the hundreds lined up waiting patiently to look at.

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