Dec. 8 update: You can see Mars at its best as it reaches opposition tonight in several live webcasts, including one above from Arizona’s Lowell Observatory starting at 9 p.m. EST (0200 GMT).
This week offers multiple opportunities to get to know the Red Planet.
On Wednesday (Dec. 7), the full moon will be very close to a bright Mars during an event known as a lunar eclipse. And on Thursday (December 8), Mars will be in opposition, that is, in Earth’s sky, it will be directly opposite the sun. These events also coincide with Mars near perigee (its closest point to Earth), which occurred on November 30.
The perfect storm of astronomical events means this is a wonderful week to see Mars in the night sky, looking bigger and brighter than usual and becoming easy to spot next to a full Cold Moon. And even if you have cloudy skies or can’t get outside, you’re still in luck: There are plenty of opportunities to see Mars at its best this week thanks to several free live streams.
Related: Opposition Mars meets the Full Moon next week (Dec. 7). Here’s how to see it
Read more: December 2022 Full Moon: The Cold Moon hides Mars
How to see Mars in person this week
An illustration of the December 7 night sky showing the full Cold Moon obscuring Mars. (Image credit: Sky Safari Astronomy)
For many parts of North America, Europe and parts of North Africa, the lunar eclipse will be visible in the night sky on December 7 and 8.
The show begins about an hour after sunset in the constellation Taurus on Dec. 7 for American skywatchers as the full moon and Mars approach (in Europe, the event will take place just before sunrise on December 8). Depending on one’s location, the red planet will disappear behind the moon before reappearing an hour later.
Sky and Telescope has put together a guide to when and where you can see Mars (opens a new tab) disappear behind the Moon this week during the lunar eclipse.
Griffith Observatory live coverage of the lunar eclipse of Mars
On Wednesday (Dec. 7), the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California will host a free webcast (opens in a new tab) of the lunar eclipse of Mars. The broadcast will begin at 21:00 EST (02:00 GMT on December 8), weather permitting. Mars will disappear behind the Moon at 21:31 EST (02:31 GMT) and reappear an hour later.
The observatory will also upload a temporary recording of the event on Thursday (Dec. 8) at 11 a.m. EST (1600 GMT).
Live broadcast from the McDonald Observatory on Mars in opposition
The McDonald Observatory at the University of Texas at Austin, along with the Lowell Observatory in Arizona, will host a live broadcast of Mars at opposition. The broadcast begins Thursday (8 December) at 21:00 EST (0200 GMT on 9 December) and can be found on the McDonald Observatory YouTube channel (opens in a new tab).
Hosts from both observatories will provide commentary during the event that will include discussions of Martian geology and history, as well as spaceflight missions to the Red Planet. Weather permitting, the live stream will include live views of Mars from opposing telescopes at both observatories.
Live broadcast of the Virtual Telescope Project of the moon that hides Mars in opposition
The Virtual Telescope Project (opens in a new tab) will host a free live broadcast of the moon occulting Mars at opposition. The broadcast will begin at 22:00 EST on Thursday (0300 GMT on December 9) and can be found on the project’s YouTube channel (opens in a new tab).
What does it mean when Mars is in opposition?
When astronomers say that a planet is in opposition, it means that the planet, the Earth, and the Sun are all in a straight line, with the Earth in the middle. This arrangement means that the planet is literally opposite the sun, hence the term “opposition,” making the planet appear brightly lit from our vantage point on Earth.
When the Red Planet is at opposition, it is much brighter than usual and therefore much easier to see in the night sky. This event only happens every 26 months, and the planet’s elliptical orbit means that during some oppositions Mars is closer to Earth than others.
During this week’s opposition, Mars will be closer to Earth than it will be until 2033. The Royal Astronomical Society has produced a great explainer (opens in a new tab) about the event, including the video below.
What is a lunar occultation of Mars?
The word “hidden” means to hide or hide from view; when astronomers refer to an occultation, they mean an event in which one celestial object passes in front of another from an observer’s perspective, hiding the object behind it. In the case of this week’s lunar occultation of Mars, it means that from Earth, the moon will appear to hide or “cover” the red planet. For many viewers, Mars will disappear behind the Moon for about an hour before coming back into view.
There are enough occultations over the course of a given year that there is an International Occult Timing Association (opens in a new tab) that provides detailed information such as the exact locations and times of other occultations.
The Griffith Observatory has released a video explainer (opens in a new tab) of the event, which can be found below.
Read more: What is a concealment?
Whether you’re new to skywatching or have been doing it for years, be sure not to miss our guides to the best binoculars and best telescopes to see the occultation of Mars and other amazing things in the night sky. To capture the best images of Mars or the moon you can, check out our recommendations for the best astrophotography cameras and the best astrophotography lenses.
Editor’s note: If you take a great Mars opposition or lunar eclipse photo and want to share it with Space.com readers, send your photos, comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space .how .