[ad_1]
The night of this Wednesday (25) will offer a rare sight: the Moon and the planet Mars will apparently be aligned in the sky, in a phenomenon known as “conjunction” due to this imaginary proximity, although the stars are actually millions of kilometers away. each other.
The couple will be visible from sunset this afternoon, but the exact moment of closest proximity will be at 20:59 (Brasilia time). Just look north: the Moon will be easily observable as it will be about 80% illuminated in a Crescent, while the Red Planet will be smaller and darker, like a small bright star, below and to the left of the Moon.
Moon and Mars will still be visible until 2:13 am, when the moon disappears below the western horizon. In order for you to have a perfect view of the phenomenon and to know exactly which direction to look in, it is important to be able to correctly identify the cardinal points.
How to orient yourself during the conjunction of the Moon and Mars
To orient yourself correctly and to know in which direction to look, there are some easy to use tips: memorize the position of the sunset, use a compass or an astronomy app on your mobile.
Anyone who remembers the place where the sun sets knows, since the days of basic education that that point is the west. Therefore, stand up and point your left arm in that position (west). This way, you will have east on your right arm, south on your back, and north directly in front, which is where you need to look.
As for the compass, if you don’t have the famous instrument in your hand, you can use the “Compass” function which is part of the iOS system. If you have an Android phone, you can download an app, via Google Play, such as “Just a compass” by PixelProse SARL, which is free and ad-free, at this link.
Whoever chooses astronomy apps, there are many great ones, which use your location via GPS to identify exactly where you are pointing or show the direction you want to look. One, SkySafari, has the advantage of being free and available for both Android and iOS.
Source link
