Apache and open a low socket?

I'm trying to open a socket below 1024 with Apache2 and PHP.
Problem is that ports below 1024 can not be opened by Apache running as "nobody".

I could run Apache as root, but do not really want to do this (for obvious reasons)

Is there any other way to get Apache to open sockets below 1024?

 

You cannot run Apache as root (unless you compile it with some special options) - that's a security measure.

I'm not sure how this can be done...

 

For now I've created an iptable to redirect the "low" port to a "high" one, and it looks like it's working

 

Thanks for this site very helpful.