Have you looked up at the night sky and noticed a bright object sporting a reddish hue to the left of Orion? This is none other than the planet Mars! January will be an excellent opportunity to spot this planet in three special events.
A simulated view of the Moon as Mars begins its occultation on
January 13, 2025. Credit: Stellarium
First, Mars entered retrograde (or backward movement relative to its usual direction) on December 7, 2024, and will continue throughout January into February 23, 2025. You can track the planet’s progress by documenting Mars’ position relative to nearby stars each night. You can use free software like Stellarium to help you find Mars above the eastern horizon after 8:00 PM local time.
Next, On the night of January 13th, you can watch Mars ‘disappear’ behind the Moon during an occultation. An occultation is when one celestial object passes directly in front of another, hiding the background object, similar to an eclipse. In Moab, you can watch this event with the naked eye, starting around 6:55 PM and lasting just under an hour.
Finally, as you observe Mars this month, you will notice that it will increase in brightness. This is because Mars will reach opposition by the evening of January 18th. Opposition happens when a planet is directly opposite the Sun, as seen from Earth. All you need to observe this event is clear skies, but you’ll see more details in a telescope.
Mars has fascinated humanity for centuries, with its earliest recorded observations dating back to the Bronze Age. By the 17th century, astronomers were able to identify features of the Martian surface. Since the 1960s, exploration of the Red Planet has intensified with robotic missions. Currently, NASA has five active missions, including rovers and orbiters, with the future focused on human exploration and habitation.
This chart shows the path of Mars from September 2024 to June 2025 as it enters and exits retrograde motion. Mars appears to change its direction because Earth is passing the slower-moving Mars in its orbit. Credit: Stellarium
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