“Celestial Wonders: Your Ultimate Guide to the Full Moon’s Dance with Mars and a Dazzling New Comet”

The initial full moon of the year will glide across the sky on Monday night. For fortunate stargazers in certain regions of the globe, it will also move in front of the unusually vivid-red Mars in an occurrence referred to as a lunar occultation.

However, that is not the only spectacle January’s sky has to present. A new comet, predicted to be the brightest of the year, is approaching its nearest proximity to the sun on Monday — although observing it, particularly in northern regions, will be challenging.

What is a lunar occultation?

As per NASA, a lunar occultation takes place when the moon moves in front of an object, such as a distant planet, which appears significantly smaller in the sky. An occultation is akin to a solar eclipse — when the moon conceals the sun — but far less magnificent.

Lunar occultations can take place multiple times a year and at any phase of the moon. Earlier this month, a crescent moon that covered Saturn was witnessed by those in Europe, northern Africa, and certain parts of Greenland and Russia.

What makes this one special?

Mars has been appearing larger and more luminous in the night sky as it draws near to Earth. It is heading toward what is termed opposition, which occurs when Mars is on the opposite side of Earth relative to the sun. During opposition, Mars is nearer to us than usual, and its surface is completely illuminated by the sun as seen from our planet, creating stunning views of the Red Planet.

Mars reaches opposition every 26 months. This year, it achieves opposition on Jan. 15 at 9:32 p.m. Eastern time. However, the planet has been gradually becoming more radiant since November.

How can I witness the lunar occultation?

Only individuals in North America and portions of Africa will be able to observe the moon occulting Mars on Monday. In other locations, Mars will simply appear adjacent to the moon, a cosmic event known as a conjunction. The occultation will last over an hour in certain areas and will be visible with the naked eye, although binoculars or a telescope will improve the viewing experience.

The occurrence will commence at varying times, contingent upon your location. According to a schedule issued by the International Occultation Timing Association, Mars will vanish behind the moon on Monday at 6:21 p.m. in Seattle, 9:16 p.m. in Washington, D.C., and 9:21 p.m. in New York City, all in local time. Observers in Montreal will witness the occultation commencing at 9:25 p.m., and in Accra, Ghana, at 4:53 a.m., just before sunrise on Tuesday.

What about the comet?

Comet ATLAS, or C/2024 G3 as referred to by astronomers, was detected last April by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System and shares its name with several other comets found by this network of telescopes, including Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which dazzled across the sky last October.

Like all comets, C/2024 G3 is a frozen fragment of material leftover from the solar system’s formation that has begun to thaw as it approaches the sun. It will reach perihelion, or its nearest approach to the sun, on Jan. 13, coming within 8.4 million miles of the sun’s surface.

Certain comets disintegrate due to the heat. However, if they endure the encounter, perihelion is when they are believed to be at their brightest — though proximity to the sun can make them hard to detect.

How can I view Comet ATLAS?

Some observers located in the Northern Hemisphere have already spotted Comet ATLAS, a fuzzy spot with a short tail, low on the eastern horizon at dawn. Due to its location and the dawn’s illumination, it is challenging to see, particularly without binoculars or a telescope.

Closer to perihelion, those with an unobstructed western horizon view may catch sight of the comet in the evening near the sunset. Interactive star charts such as this one can assist in determining where and when to look.

Should Comet ATLAS survive perihelion, it will move to southern hemisphere skies in late January, becoming visible there in the evenings post-sunset. As the comet recedes from the sun, it will rise higher in the sky but also dimmer each day.