How to see Mars shining extremely bright during opposition Tuesday night

October 2020 centers on the glory of Mars as a glittering red planet appears in the night sky. We completed the approach of Mars to Earth on October 6 and now we are looking forward to Tuesday October 13, when it will be in opposition.

Detection of Mars

Mars has a reputation for being a “red” planet, but its color in the night sky is a little more on the Halloween side of the spectrum. To the naked eye it appears as a bright red-orange spot, like a small patch of sparkling rust.

The distinctive color of Mars is a trace you found in the dark. Watch the eastern sky to capture its rise at night. This is a great time to observe the planet, in part because it is so easy to observe. It should be visible most of the night. As NASA says, “Get out there and look up, and depending on local weather and light conditions, you should be able to see Mars.”

Try ours list of special applications if you need further help locating the planet.

Opposition: 13 October

When Mars and the sun land on the Earth in the middle, the red planet is said to be in opposition. It is the perfect time to see Mars move across the sky. It will rise in the east when the sun sets, move across the sky, and then set in the west when the sun rises.

NASA describes the opposition as “truly” full “of Mars.” Tuesday, October 13th, it’s time to enjoy the stamina. You will have to wait more than two years for this to happen again.

The Virtual Telescope project, which offers us live broadcasts of celestial events, will stream opposition observations of Mars starting at 1:00 PM PT. October 13. It’s the perfect way to enjoy the event without worrying about the weather. For people in the US, it will give you a preview of what to look for after dark.

The project expects to be “the best observation conditions since July 2018”.

“The racing model of planetary tracks explains why. Earth and Mars are like runners on a track. Earth comes from within, Mars from without, “NASA said in its October What’s up blog.” Every 26 months, fast-moving Earth will slow down Mars and stop it. Opposition occurs when the Earth takes the lead. “

Mars is not the only appearance in the sky in October. You can do it too look forward to the rare blue moon of Halloween when our lunar neighbor is full on October 31, it’s not scary; it’s damn.

Back to the close approach of October 6th

Tuesday 6 October marked the approach of Mars to Earth, but this month is still a good time to grab a telescope and get a little better. Make a wave NASA rover for endurance while you’re there. The vehicle is on its way to reach the planet in February 2021.

NASA shared the artist’s take on the close approach on Tuesday, October 6, compared to the last period he wandered in July 2018. The apparent dimensions look very similar. This year, Mars had a minimum distance of 62.6 km, which is 3 million kilometers more than in 2018.

It might be the end of a close approach, but the planet is still bright enough at night, so get out there and take a patrol or tune in to a live broadcast of the Virtual Telescope Project from the comfort of your computer.