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Dec 8, 2022

Mars at Opposition 2022

Planetary Event

At opposition, Mars, the Earth and the Sun are almost aligned in that order. This makes the Red Planet one of the most exciting targets to observe this year.

A full view of Mars, stitched together from 102 images taken by the Viking 1 Orbiter.
A full view of Mars, stitched together from 102 images taken by the Viking 1 Orbiter.

At this time, the whole face of the planet turned towards Earth is lit by the Sun. The planet will be brighter than at any other time of the year and stays in the sky all night long: it rises at sunset, is highest at midnight and sets at sunrise.

Illustration of Mars at opposition.
Illustration of Mars at opposition.

Through a telescope, you can see the dark surface features of Mars.

Mars. Photo: Andrew McCarthy.
Mars. Photo: Andrew McCarthy.

The world’s best telescopes provide the most beautiful images of this planet.

Mars through the Hubble Space Telescope.
Mars through the Hubble Space Telescope.

This is the perfect time to observe and photograph Mars, the fourth planet of the Solar System. Watching this planet is a memorable experience for anyone who loves astronomy.

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