When’s Mars closest to Earth, is it visible to the naked eye and how can I see it in the UK?
Mars should be clearly seen next month - as it should only be 35.8million miles away then and clearly visible
BESIDES the upcoming blood moon another big astral event is coming up as Mars comes into close range of Earth.
The Red Planet’s closeness is due to what is called “perihelic opposition”.
When is Mars closest to Earth?
Mars will be visible with the naked eye next month as it will be the closest its been to Earth for 15 years.
Around July 31 Mars will be just 35.8milion miles away from Earth – in terms of the universe, that’s nothing.
Outside of well-lit towns and cities the planet should be easy to spot.
Dean Regas, an astronomer for the Cincinnati Observatory, told Mother Nature Network: "This Martian pass in July will be almost as good as the ultra-close opposition on 2003.
“Perihelic opposition” is when the Earth passes between Mars and the sun.
Earth and Mars orbit the sun at different distances.
Since the Earth is closer to the sun, it orbits faster than Mars. Once every two years or so, the sun, Earth and Mars create a straight line with respect to each other — the opposition.
The phenomenon is occurring within weeks of the perihelic opposition – the point in its orbit when Mars is its closest to the sun and also the Earth – which usually happens every 15 to 17 years.
Will it be visible with the naked eye?
Yes. Dean Regas, an astronomer for the Cincinnati Observatory, told Mother Nature Network: "Mars will easily be visible to the naked eye.
"In fact, you will be hard pressed to miss it. It will look like a glowing orange beacon of light...
"It'll be much brighter than any star, brighter than Jupiter, nearly as bright as Venus. And you'll see it every night for the next several months."
How can I see it in the UK?
The UK's top stargazing locations for spotting Mars next month
These nine UK sites have been deemed the best places for staring at the heavens by the International Dark Skies Association
- South Downs National Park
- Galloway Forest, Scotland
- Sark Island
- Exmoor National Park, Devon
- The Brecon Beacons
- Snowdonia Dark Sky Reserve
- Cairngorms National Park, Scotland
- Lake District National Park, Cumbria
- North Yorkshire Moors National Park
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