Mars will be the closest it's been to Earth since 2003

Jul 18 2018, 4:20 am

Canadian night skies are going to shine a little bit brighter this month, as Mars is going to be at its brightest since 2003.

According to NASA, the Red Planet is almost ready to reach the part of its orbit called ‘opposition’, where it’s exactly opposite the Sun in the Earth’s sky.

When to look for Mars

For space enthusiasts and skywatchers, there are two important times to look for Mars this month.

The Red Planet will appear very bright from July 27 to 30, when the planet is in opposition, and Mars, Earth and the Sun will all line up, with Earth directly in the middle.

But the big show will take place a few days after on July 31 during Mars Close Approach, which is when the planet and Earth are nearest to each other in their orbit around the Sun.

This is when the Red Planet will shine its brightest since 2003.

How close will it be?

Don’t let the term close fool you.

NASA says that in 2003, the Red Planet made its closest approach to Earth in 60,000  years when it was roughly 55.8 million kilometres from Earth. It won’t come that close again until 2287.

On July 31, it will be about 35.8 million miles (57.6 million kilometres) away.

When Earth and Mars are this close to each other, the planet appears very bright in the sky, making it much easier to locate with a telescope or the naked eye.

Mars

Mars Exploration, NASA

Where can you find Mars?

On July 27, the Red Planet will begin to rise around 9:30 pm in the southeast and should appear roughly five times brighter.

And on the last day of the month, Mars will reach its highest point around midnight, and will be visible roughly 35 degrees above the southern horizon, or one-third of the distance between the horizon and overhead.

The moon will also be near Mars on the 31, and some parts of the world will be able to see a lunar eclipse.

But don’t worry if you miss Mars Close Approach this year. The next Mars Close Approach will take place on Oct. 6, 2020.

close approach

Mars Exploration, NASA

See also
Ainsley SmithAinsley Smith

+ News
+ Great Outdoors
ADVERTISEMENT