Mars to shine brightest tonight during October opposition, here's how to spot red planet

In an extraordinary phemen kwn as ‘opposition’, red planet Mars on October 13 will appear brightest at its perihelion and will dim out for next 25 years until 2035. According to NASA, red planet will rise in east of Earth, appearing to be extra bigger and brighter just as sun sets in west in a rare occurrence that happens once in 15 or 17 years. Tonight, red planet is closest to sun due to "perihelic opposition” as skywatchers can witness red planet’s straight-line alignment due to its perfectly stable orbits with planet Earth perched right in middle.

In an official release, NASA updated skywatchers to get ready to witness red planet to outshine everything else in its region of sky in an amazing, unique night never seen again until September 2035. “Mars is currently visible, reaching its highest point in sky around midnight. Earth’s closest neighbor is also at its brightest and will remain that way well into vember,” it informed astrophiles.

How to watch?

In interim, skywatchers can use any telescope that can show Mars' ruddy disk, including its surface features. Advanced software applications like Starry Night 8, a Professional Astromy Telescope Control Software can be used to detect Red planet's position, at a variation of about 20 percent,  between 128.4 and 154.8 million miles (or 206.7 and 249.2 million kilometers) from Sun's direction. Furr, if one looks to east with human naked eye, y can see a big, bright “star” that’s slightly reddish well positioned for anyone in rrn hemisphere. 

[During opposition, Mars and sun are on directly opposite sides of Earth. From our perspective on our spinning world, Mars rises in east just as sun sets in west. Credit: NASA]

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While usually, it’s planet Jupiter that makes third celestial object after Venus and Moon to be brightest, this year 2020, Mars outshines Jupiter, NASA said. Furr, citing ‘Opposition’ as reason for planet’s close alignment to Earth, NASA explained, “opposition occurs when orbit of a planet, such as Mars, takes it near Earth”. ncy added, “just like runners passing each or on a track, faster, inner planets, such as Earth, can approach and overtake slower-moving outer planets like Mars.”

Sun, Earth, Mars on' narrowest' alignment 

Tonight, Mars will be at an estimated distance of 40 million miles (60 million km) as opposed to its usual  250 million miles (400 million km) distance. “Nearly seven times closer,” NASA informed. Earth, Sun, and planet Mars will be in a straight line at 23:20 GMT (00:20 BST) with a separation of  62,069,570km, or 38,568,243 miles, narrowest gap until 2035, as only last week, Mars entered into closest approach in a 26-month cycle with Earth. Astrophotographer, Damian Peach told sources of BBC that one did t have to linger on to any specific timings, scubas 9 pm or 10 or midnight, as sunsets in west, viewers can't miss brightest star-like object in sky, Mars. 

[Two illustrations contrasting Mars’ position when it reaches opposition and conjunction. During opposition, like in October 2020, Earth passes near Mars – which is easily visible and bright. During conjunction, Mars and Earth are far from each or, so Mars appears small and faint. Credit: NASA]

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