Don't Miss it! The Moon and Mars Will Form a Rare Conjunction Tonight

Mars and the moon will be about four degrees apart on Wednesday evening.

Planet Mars viewed like in a small amateur telescope during the approach of the planet on september 2020.
Photo:

Christophe Lehenaff / Getty Images

From northern lights sightings to meteor showers and a supermoon, November has been an exhilarating month for stargazers. But the excitement isn't over yet—another celestial event will occur this evening as the moon and Mars align for a rare conjunction.

The conjunction should be visible around 10 p.m. local time on Wednesday, November 20, according to The Weather Channel. For your best chance of seeing the conjunction, head outside to a dark area away from city lights and look east-northeast in the sky. Mars will appear on the upper right side of the waning gibbous moon.

What makes this conjunction especially exciting is how bright Mars will appear in the night sky. The planet has been relatively faint all year but is becoming steadily brighter the closer Earth gets to it, The Weather Channel reports. This increasing brightness will continue until January 16, 2025, when Earth passes between Mars and the sun, a phenomenon known as opposition.

The conjunction will be visible to the naked eye, but using binoculars or a telescope will enhance the rare event. If the sky isn't clear tonight, you may still be able to see Mars over the coming weeks as its brightness gets even more impressive.

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