Celestial Secrets: Witness the Moon’s Playful Dance with Mars This January!

Take a moment to go outside shortly after dusk on Monday, Jan. 13, and gaze toward the low east-northeastern horizon.

In that direction, you’ll spot the rising full moon, and just beneath it, a shimmering orange “star” might catch your eye.

This isn’t a star at all; it’s the Red Planet Mars.

Mars now presents itself against the stars of Gemini, the Twins, which lie trillions of miles further away and seem to align approximately along the same line of sight.

This planet will be nearest to Earth during this orbital phase on that night, situated only around 59.7 million miles away, significantly more distant than the moon at merely 236,192 miles off.

Due to the moon’s brilliance that night, you might require binoculars to discern Mars so close to the lunar disk.

Absolutely, if you possess a small telescope or can visit your nearby planetarium or amateur astronomy club, you’ll gain a remarkable close-up of Mars during this time.

Even with the lowest magnification, its orange disk will be easily visible, while a larger telescope with higher magnifications will reveal some dark features on the planet’s surface.

Mars will be wonderfully positioned for observation throughout the month.

On the evening of Jan. 13, however, don’t merely glimpse at Mars and leave since, if you’re patient, you can witness the moon participating in a game of hide-and-seek with the Red Planet.

Your viewing experience (and the timing) will depend on your location, but if you find yourself in North America, you’ll be able to witness the spectacle.

Why? Because on that evening, the moon will drift in front of Mars, creating what astronomers refer to as an “occultation.”

The timing and your observation location will affect whether you’ll see Mars or if it will be obscured behind the solid disk of the moon. The occultation will be observable to skywatchers across North America, conditions permitting.

Astronomers on the West Coast, for instance, will notice the planet’s disappearing act (its “ingress”) behind the moon’s eastern edge around 5:49 p.m. PST.

For those in the Denver region, the ingress will occur near 6:57 p.m. MST. In the Chicago area, Mars will vanish around 8:07 p.m. CST, while in New York City, it will disappear shortly after 9:21 p.m. EST.

It’s not simply the planetary disappearing act that will draw interest. Shortly after the planet disappears, it will reemerge on the other side of the moon.

However, spotting this will prove more challenging, as it’s difficult to predict exactly where Mars will reappear from behind the moon’s western edge.

For those on the West Coast, this “egress” will take place around 6:45 p.m. PST.

From Denver, keep an eye out for it around 7:56 p.m. MST. In the Chicago area, expect it around 9:16 p.m. CST, and in New York City, around 10:36 p.m. EST.

Because the specific timing of this occultation is contingent on your exact location, and both ingress and egress happen quite quickly, it would be prudent to acquire more precise timings for your area by reaching out to your local planetarium, observatory, or amateur astronomy club.

And, naturally, always plan to initiate your observation at least 15 minutes early so you don’t miss either occurrence!