Watch opposition Mars pass behind the moon this week online
This week offers multiple opportunities to get to know the Red Planet.
On Wednesday (December 7), the full moon will be very close to a brightness March during an event known as a lunar eclipse. And on Thursday (December 8), Mars will be in opposition, that is, a landof the sky, it will be right in front of you the sun. These events also coincide with Mars near perigee (its closest point to Earth), which occurred on November 30.
The perfect storm of astronomical events means this is a wonderful week to see Mars in the night sky, looking bigger and brighter than usual and becoming easy to spot alongside a cold full moon. And even if you have cloudy skies or can’t get outside, you’re still in luck: There are plenty of opportunities to see Mars at its best this week thanks to several free live streams.
Related: Opposition Mars will meet the full moon next week (December 7). Here’s how to see it
Read more: December 2022 Full Moon: The Cold Moon hides Mars
How to see Mars in person this week
For many parts of North America, Europe and parts of North Africa, the lunar eclipse will be visible in the night sky on December 7 and 8.
The show starts about an hour after sunset the constellation Taurus on Dec. 7 for American skywatchers, as the full moon and Mars move together (in Europe, the event will occur just before sunrise on Dec. 8). Depending on one’s location, the red planet will disappear behind the moon before reappearing an hour later.
Sky and Telescope has produced a guide on when and where you can see mars (opens in a new tab)disappear behind the moon this week during the lunar eclipse.
Griffith Observatory live coverage of the lunar eclipse of Mars
On Wednesday (December 7), the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California will host a free online live broadcast (opens in a new tab) of the lunar occultation of Mars. The broadcast will begin at 21:00 EST (02:00 GMT on December 8), weather permitting. Mars will disappear behind the Moon at 21:31 EST (02:31 GMT) and reappear an hour later.
The observatory will also upload a temporary recording of the event on Thursday (Dec. 8) at 11:00 a.m. EST (1600 GMT).
Live broadcast from the McDonald Observatory on Mars in opposition
The McDonald Observatory at the University of Texas at Austin, along with the Lowell Observatory in Arizona, will host a live broadcast of Mars at opposition. The broadcast begins Thursday (December 8) at 9:00 PM EST (02:00 GMT December 9) and can be found at McDonald Observatory YouTube channel (opens in a new tab).
Hosts from both observatories will provide commentary during the event that will include discussions of Martian geology and history, as well as spaceflight missions to the Red Planet. Weather permitting, the live stream will include live views of Mars from opposing telescopes at both observatories.
Live broadcast of the Virtual Telescope Project of the moon that hides Mars in opposition
The Virtual Telescope Project (opens in a new tab) will host a free live stream of the moon occulting Mars at opposition. The broadcast will begin at 22:00 EST on Thursday (03:00 GMT on December 9) and can be found at the project’s YouTube channel (opens in a new tab).
What does it mean when Mars is in opposition?
When astronomers say that a planet is in opposition, it means that the planet, the Earth, and the Sun are all in a straight line, with the Earth in the middle. This arrangement means that the planet is literally opposite the sun, hence the term “opposition,” making the planet appear well-lit from our vantage point on Earth.
When the Red Planet is at opposition, it is much brighter than usual and therefore much easier to see in the night sky. This event only happens every 26 months, and the planet’s elliptical orbit means that during some oppositions Mars is closer to Earth than others.
During this week’s opposition, Mars will be closer to Earth than it will be until 2033. The Royal Astronomical Society has produced a great explainer (opens in a new tab) about the event, including the video below.
What is a lunar occultation of Mars?
The word “hidden” means to hide or hide from view; when astronomers refer to an occultation, they mean an event in which one celestial object passes in front of another from an observer’s perspective, hiding the object behind it. In the case of this week’s lunar occultation of Mars, it means that from Earth, the moon will appear to hide or “cover” the red planet. For many viewers, Mars will disappear behind the Moon for about an hour before coming back into view.
There are enough occultations over the course of a given year that there is one International Occultation Timing Association (opens in a new tab) which provides detailed information such as exact locations and times of other occultations.
The Griffith Observatory has posted an explanatory video (opens in a new tab) of the event, which you will find below.
Read more: What is a concealment?
Whether you’re new to skywatching or have been doing it for years, make sure you don’t miss our guides to the best binoculars and the better telescopes to see the occultation of Mars and other amazing things in the night sky. To capture the best images of Mars or the moon you can, check out our recommendations for the best ones cameras for astrophotography i best lenses for astrophotography.
Editor’s note: If you take a great photo of Mars in opposition or a lunar eclipse and want to share it with Space.com readers, send your photos, comments, and your name and location to [email protected].
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