THE MOON and Mars will make a close approach to one another this week in a rare celestial get together.
Stargazers in the US and UK should be able to spot the dazzling event with the naked eye in the early hours of Sunday morning.
2
The coming together, known to astronomers as a conjunction, will peak at 05:47 BST (00:47 ET), according to stargazing site InTheSky.org.
The popular page makes precise predictions about the positions of the planets using public data from Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
During Sunday’s showcase, the waxing crescent moon will swing about two degrees to the south of Mars in the sky.
The Red Planet will resemble a bright star.
2
If you’re not an earlier riser or it’s too bright to see the conjunction from your location then there’s also a chance to catch them the night before.
This is advisable for stargazers in the UK.
“From the south of England, the pair will become visible around 21:13 (BST) as the dusk sky fades, 29° above your western horizon,” InTheSky reports.
“They will then sink towards the horizon, setting 3 hours and 56 minutes after the Sun at 00:45.”
Up north, they’ll become visible roughly half an hour later, at 21:45 BST.
The Moon will be at mag -10.6, and Mars at mag 1.7, both in the constellation Gemini.
Science facts
Want to know more about the weird and wonderful world of science? From space and astronomy to the human body, we have you covered…
The pair will be too widely separated to be viewed with a telescope.
However, they should be visible with the naked eye or through a pair of binoculars.
Conjunctions of the Moon and Mars are relatively rare, but not unheard of. They typically occur a few times a year.
Mars remains particularly bright in the night sky after reaching opposition in October last year.
That’s the point where the planet is closest to Earth and more visible than at other times in the year. Mars reaches opposition roughly every 26 months.
Nasa releases historic first audio recording of rover driving on Mars
DEAD SCARY
Ancient Roman ‘Gate to Hell’ cave that ‘kills INSTANTLY’ still exists today
LOOK UP!
How to see Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites soaring overhead
MUSK BE FATE
Scientist predicted 70 YEARS AGO that man named ‘Elon’ would colonise Mars
FIRING LINE
US says it WON’T shoot down out-of-control Chinese rocket plummeting to Earth
FIRING LINE
Out-of-control Chinese rocket will crash to Earth on SATURDAY & may hit cities
SPACE OUT
Pluto – size, location, and controversial history of the former planet
In other news, billionaire Elon Musk’s plot to colonise Mars may have been predicted by a German scientist 70 years ago.
ESA researchers think they’ve spotted an angel on Mars.
And a satellite that can look inside buildings at any time of day has been launched.
Are you a seasoned stargazer or just getting started? Let us know in the comments!
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at [email protected]
This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
