This month, Mars will gleam more brightly than at any moment since December 2022 as it attains a position referred to by astronomers as “opposition.” This means stargazers will enjoy the finest views of the Red Planet — both with the unaided eye as well as through binoculars and telescopes — until 2027.
As an additional treat, on Monday (Jan. 13), a full moon will obscure bright Mars in a rare lunar occultation, providing observers with the stunning spectacle of the Red Planet appearing to set and rise from behind the moon.
Opposition denotes the moment when Earth is positioned directly between Mars and the sun. (In simpler terms, Mars is on the contrary side of Earth from the sun.) With Earth and Mars positioned as closely as possible, Mars will appear more luminous and larger than at any other point in its 687-Earth-day orbit around the sun. Only during opposition is Mars’ surface fully lit by the sun, rendering it the ideal time for viewing.
When to observe Mars at opposition
Mars will achieve opposition on Jan. 16, shining a brilliant golden hue to the unaided eye within the constellation Gemini. A few days prior, on Jan. 12, it will make its closest approach to Earth since its previous opposition in 2022, at 59.7 million miles (96.1 million kilometers). This timing peculiarity arises because the slightly elliptical orbits of both Earth and Mars lead to Mars appearing its brightest just before opposition.
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To see Mars at its peak, gaze eastward at sunset between Jan. 12 and Jan. 16. The Red Planet will emerge at sunset, remain visible throughout the night, and eventually set in the west at dawn. It will command the eastern night sky and, at magnitude -1.4, will outshine every star. It will face momentary competition from Venus in the western sky — which will be much brighter, at magnitude -4.3 — but Venus will set a few hours after sunset. (In astronomy, a lower magnitude indicates a brighter object.)
Skywatching bonus: Witness the Wolf Moon ‘occult’ Mars
A luminous moon will momentarily photobomb Mars during its observation period. Overnight on Jan. 13-14, Mars will be occulted — or temporarily concealed — by the full Wolf Moon, vanishing and reappearing behind it as viewed from North America. The two celestial bodies will reunite again about a month later; on Feb. 9, Mars will create a striking conjunction with a waxing gibbous moon, making it seem to come incredibly close to Earth’s natural satellite.
Even though it will appear at its brightest and most spectacular for years ahead, Mars will be overshadowed by Venus in terms of sheer brightness by late January. From Jan. 28 to Feb. 27, Venus will glide close to Earth and shine at its peak intensity in the evening sky, achieving its maximum brilliance on Feb. 14.