Best View of Mars From Earth in 6 Years tonight!

Alright you armchair astronomers, get out the old telescope and point at the little red dot, because you won't get a better view for a while!

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On Jan. 27, Mars will be closer to Earth than any other time between 2008 and 2014. A mere 60 million miles away, the red planet will be a great target for backyard telescopes, and will appear bright to the naked eye as well.

Every 26 months, the two planets’ orbits bring them closer together, sometimes closer than others. In 2003, Mars came within 35 million miles of Earth, a 60,000-year record.

Observers with a telescope will be able to see changes over the north pole of Mars as the carbon dioxide ice cap is nearing summer and evaporating into gas that affects the polar clouds. (If any of our reader-astronomers catch a nice image, send it our way!)

From the ground, Mars will look like an orange star almost as bright as Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. The view will actually be best on Friday, Jan. 29, when Mars will rise alongside the first full moon of the year, directly opposite the sun.

Best Display of Mars From Earth in 6 Years on Wednesday

Keep an eye out for the little green men!

-E-

Mars caught my eye a few days ago. I hadn't been paying attention at that time of day for a while.

So bright. So red. Had to be Mars.

reply to post by Phage


I have too much light pollution where I live to get a good view, tonight would be a good night for a drive out to the country. It always amazes me what you can see when you get away from the city lights and allow your eyes to adjust

-E-

and it just has to be cloudy doesnt it -_-"