Tonight, Mars will shine brightly as it reaches opposition, offering sky-watchers a perfect chance to see the Red Planet clearly.
In the early hours of Thursday, Mars will be “in opposition” to Earth. This means it’ll be super bright and easy to spot, whether you’re using a telescope or just your eyes.
These oppositions happen about every 27 months, so it’s a great time to check out the Red Planet. When Mars is in opposition, it’s on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun, creating a straight line in space.
This alignment lets Mars soak up all the sunlight, making it shine brightly. If you have a telescope, you might even see some cool features on Mars, like its massive volcano, Olympus Mons, or the canyons of Valles Marineris.
While other planets have oppositions more often, Mars takes a bit longer due to its orbit. This year’s opposition won’t be as bright as some past ones, but it’s still worth a look.
The best time to catch it in the UK is on Thursday at 1:17 AM. Mars was closest to Earth recently and will be visible for the rest of the year until it gets lost in the sun’s glare in November 2025.
To see Mars, just look for it rising in the east at sunset, right above and to the right of the moon in the constellation Gemini. If the weather’s good, you might spot it with the naked eye, but a telescope or binoculars will give you a much clearer view. Happy stargazing!
