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In recent weeks, the red planet has thinned out in the night sky, and everyone in the world can appreciate it at its closest approach.
Perhaps you have already noticed the point dazzling red dancing in the night sky: it is Mars, our planetary neighbor, and for a few weeks it is getting brighter and brighter with the approach of a state that astronomers call the opposition, when she and the sun are on opposite sides of the Earth.It is as if we are in between right now in a cosmic monkey game in the middle.
This will take place on Friday, July 27 and t everyone can watch, weather permitting.
How often does the opposition of Mars occur?
The Earth and Mars align with the sun in opposition about once every two years.
But midnight breathtaking views of Mars occur every 15 to 17 years. It is then that the opposition occurs when Mars is at perihelion, or its nearest position to the sun, according to Rich Zurek, NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project Scientist. This upcoming opposition will be one of those moments.
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When Will Mars Reach his nearest approach?
Mars will be closest to the Earth before sunrise on July 31 at around 4 am, according to EarthSky.org
Because Mars and Earth have elliptical rather than perfectly circular orbits, the only one in the world. Opposition and the closest approach between the two planets do not occur at the same time. The orbit of Mars around the sun takes about two Earth years to complete. If the two planets orbit the sun along perfectly circular orbits that were in the same plane, the closest approach to Mars would occur on the same day as the opposition
In 2003, Mars was at its closest approach to Earth in about 60,000 years ago. Dr. Zurek said. According to EarthSky.org
on average, Mars is about 140 million miles from Earth, according to NASA, and the farthest. they are about 250 million miles, according to Space.com. The nearer approach this month will be the closest since 2003, at a distance of about 35.8 million miles from Earth, according to NASA.
NASA tends to launch its space missions to Mars during the closest approach periods, or every two years. For example, the Mars Exploration Rovers, Opportunity and Spirit, were launched in 2003, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2005 and Mars Phoenix Lander in 2007.
The next closest approach will be in October 2020, and the next super-close the opposition will be in September 2035.
Far in the future, Earth and Mars will have another record meeting in 2287, when both will be about 34.60 million miles.
What will be the opposition and the closest approach
During these events, Mars will appear as a bright crimson orb that comes out amidst the white stars that sprinkle the heavens. It will be slightly lighter during the opposition than during its closest approach because of the angle at which sunlight hits it.
After the moon, Venus is the brightest object of the night sky, followed by Jupiter. But during this period, Mars will appear as shiny or brighter than the gaseous giant, according to Dr. Zurek.
How can I see it?
Just watch. Mars has been very bright all month, and it will remain so for about a month after the opposition. After that, it will return to its normal brightness as it moves away from the Earth. Mars will be at its peak between July 27 and July 30, according to NASA
What will I see with a telescope?
Mars is in the midst of a dust storm that devours the planet . Normally, when people look at the surface of the red planet through a powerful telescope, they can discern its dark spots, like the Syrtis Major area, and the lighter areas too. The first astronomers once confused these characteristics for oceans and continents.
But the dust storm envelops the surface. Because dust particles fly high in the atmosphere, they will reflect sunlight and give the impression that Mars has more bright spots than usual, says Dr. Zurek.
"It's going to be a foggy object." Do not see some of the classically dark marks that are so prominent on the planet, "he said, although some skygazers may be disappointed, the colossal dust storm is rare – and NASA's worst scientists have seen on the planet.
Challenging conditions have silenced the Opportunity Rover, which faces the most serious struggle of its 14th annual mission The Energy Robot Solar came into contact with NASA last June, and some scientists fear never to hear about it again.
A lunar eclipse, too
For a part of the world, Mars will not be the only orb that shines red in the night of July 27.
People living in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East will receive additional treatment: a lunar eclipse.The moon will become a copper color while the moon will become a copper color. she moves in s the shadow of the Earth. It will be the longest lunar eclipse of this century, which lasts about an hour and 43 minutes in its full stage, according to EarthSky.org. It's almost half an hour more than the lunar eclipse of January.
But for most of us in the Western Hemisphere and for all of us in North America, we will miss the eclipse and will have to settle for a beautiful red marble in the night sky.
Nicholas St. Fleur is a science journalist who writes on archeology, paleontology, space and other topics. He joined the Times in 2015. Prior to that, he was associate editor at The Atlantic. @ scifleur • Facebook
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