Look Up! Mars Will Put on a Dazzling Show in the Night Sky Tonight

December has been an exciting month for stargazers, from the full Cold Moon reaching a major lunar standstill to the strongest meteor shower of the year. Now, Mars will appear close to the moon in the night sky on Tuesday, December 17 as it continues its approach to opposition, according to NASA.

Mars, also known as the "Red Planet," is known for its bright, red-orange appearance. On Tuesday evening, focus your gaze on the east-northern horizon to spot the waning gibbous moon with the bright and colorful Mars directly below it. The planet will appear closer to the moon than usual.

Mars reaches opposition about once every two years when it lies opposite to the sun. As it approaches opposition it appears brighter in the night sky. Mars has been relatively faint for most of 2024, but has been steadily becoming brighter as it races towards opposition, which is expected to occur on the evening of January 15, according to EarthSky.org.

The closest Mars gets to the moon during its approach to opposition occurs on Tuesday, December 17. For those on the West Coast, the moon and Mars will look closest just after midnight PST in the east-southeast sky. If you're on the East Coast, the closest proximity of the moon and Mars occurs around 5 a.m. EST in the west-northwest, Space.com reports. However, telescopic views of Mars will become possible as early as 10:30 p.m. local time.