Mars, Moon Appear Close on Tuesday Night

Don’t Miss the Martian Moon Dance on December 17th!

Get ready for a celestial treat this coming Tuesday evening as Mars makes a dazzling appearance near the moon, reaching its most vibrant in decades. This is a rare chance to witness Mars at its brightest, rivaling Venus, Jupiter, and Sirius in the night sky.

A Stellar Lineup

If you look eastward around 8:00 p.m. local time, you’ll see the waxing gibbous moon, shining at 89% illumination, accompanied by the vibrant red Mars glowing brightly below it. Anchoring the scene are two bright stars beloved by stargazers, Pollux and Castor, forming the heads of Gemini, the Twins.

Mars, shining nearly as bright as Venus, will appear to glide above the moon’s lower limb, creating a spectacular visual display. On the West Coast, this celestial dance will occur shortly after midnight Pacific Time high in the east-southeast sky. For those on the East Coast, the two celestial bodies will be high in the west-northwest at around 5 a.m. Eastern Time.