The first full moon of 2025 called the ‘Wolf Moon’ seen near Mars rises in the sky during … [+]
What is that bright star in the sky after sunset? It’s Venus – maybe. Now shining brightly for several hours after sunset, the “Evening Star” dominates briefly before sinking below the western horizon. However, there are two other bright planets in the east after sunset – and one of them is golden.
The golden planet is Mars. Visible below Jupiter and rising into view in the east as the sky darkens, the red planet appears to emit a golden glow for the rest of the night as it moves across the southern sky. Why is Mars so bright this week? Does it really look red? When was secretive near the moon?
Here’s everything you need to know about Mars in the opposition this week.
How to find Mars in the night sky
Go outside after dark and look east. You will see Jupiter shining in the constellation Taurus. Look below, and to the left of the giant planet, and in the constellation of Cancer, you will see Mars, just below two bright stars, Castor and Pollux, in the constellation of Gemini. Not to be confused with Betelgeuse, the brightest star in the constellation Orion, which is to the right of Mars.
Explained: March in opposition
Mars is now at its brightest for 771 days. This is because it has succeeded the oppositiona time when the Earth is placed exactly between it and the sun. It sees the planet closest to Earth, i.e. at its brightest, with its disk 100% illuminated by the sun. It will rise around sunset and be visible until sunrise.
How bright and close will Mars be?
During its opposition in 2025, Mars will reach -1.4 magnitude, which is not the brightest it can get. This is because all the planets revolve around the sun in a slight ellipse. As a consequence, some oppositions may see it closer to Earth and others further away.
Its elliptical orbit is also why, technically, Mars was slightly closer to Earth on Sunday, January 12, than it is tonight, at 59.7 million miles (96.1 million kilometers). This is 0.6 astronomical units (Earth-Sun distances) from Earth.
It may be one of the best objects in the night sky, but Mars is briefly outnumbered 25 to 1 by Venus, which is shining at magnitude -4.3, and by Jupiter, at magnitude -2.5.
Does Mars Really Look Red?
Although its surface is covered in iron oxide dust, the red planet appears to the naked eye to have a reddish-golden glow rather than just a red glow. “A closer look reveals a richer palette that includes gold, salmon and peach,” says Bob King at The sky and the telescopealso reporting that other observers have seen it as “rose gold”, salmon pink, terra cotta, orange-gold and “charcoal”.
Why did the Moon hide Mars this week?
Have you seen “Wolf Moon” in full eating Mars? The first full moon of 2025 rose on Monday, January 13 and, for observers in North America, blocked out the planet Mars for about an hour between 8:44 p.m. EST and 12:52 a.m. EST on Tuesday, January 14. . , of course, an illusion, with Mars about 266 times farther than the moon.
Sky events involving Mars to watch out for in 2025
Mars will be included in the “planet parade” – with Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune and Uranus – through January and February. On Sunday, February 9, Mars will be seen very close to the waxing giant moon in an event astronomers call a conjunction.
When is the next March opposition?
The next opposition of Mars will occur on February 19, 2027, although any time in the next two months is a good time to observe Mars.
I wish you clear skies and open eyes.
