Mars made a close pass by the Moon on July 17, 2003. As viewed from northern New Jersey, this is as about as close as it got. (Viewed from southern Florida, the edge of the Moon covered Mars.)

This image shows directly how much smaller Mars appears than the Moon. (The "Larger Image" shows this more clearly.) Mars was just over 19.5" wide while the Moon appeared 31' 08" wide, over 95 times larger. The Moon is actually about half the diameter of Mars. A closer view is here.

Astro-Physics 155mm (6.1 inch) refractor at f14. Three 1/60th second exposures on Fuji Provia 100F color slide film. July 17, 2003, 4:46 a.m. EDT. Photographed from northern New Jersey. ©2003