Where to Go to See Mars Up-close when it Becomes Closest to the Earth

The Red Planet will come closest to Earth on July 31, 2018 at a distance of 57.6 million kilometers.

Mars takes about two years to orbit around the sun (Martian year is about 687 Earth days/1.88 Earth years). As Earth passes between Mars and Sun this July, the apparent planetary disk diameter (viewable diameter) of Mars will exceed 24” in diameter between July 23rd and August 9th, 2018.

 

When Mars and Earth lie nearly in a straight line with respect to the Sun, with Earth in the middle, it is called an Opposition. The opposition this year that occurs on July 27, 2018 is special because Mars reaches it closest point to the sun, since the year 2003. In 2003, Mars came within 34.6 million miles to Earth and that was the closest distance to Earth since the year 57,617 B.C.

The 2018 perihelic opposition will be about 97 percent of the maximum of 25.13” diameter attained during 2003 opposition. During perihelic (the point in Mars’ orbit when it’s closest to the sun) opposition, Mars will outshine Jupiter by 1.8 times.

Closest approach is when Mars is nearest to Earth. Due to elliptical orbits of both planets and gravitational influences of other heavenly bodies on the orbits, the closest approach between Earth and Mars is not necessarily coincident with the time of opposition but varies by as much as two weeks.

 
The closed approach occurs at 0751 UTC on July 31, 2018 with an apparent planetary disk diameter of 24.3” at a distance of 57,590,630-km. You will have a view of the Martian South Polar Region will be tilted toward the Earth. LEARN MORE

WHERE TO GO & HOW TO SEE MARS DURING OPPOSITION:

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Credit: RASC

During Mars Opposition, Mars will rise around 09:00 PM ET and will be the brightest, reddest object in the southeastern sky all evening. July 27 is also a Full moon night, with the occurrence of total Lunar Eclipse in some parts of the world (not in North America).

If you want to see Mars when it exceeds 24” in diameter, just look up the southeastern sky between July 23rd and August 9th, 2018 or use your telescopes . During opposition, Mars rises when the sun sets, and sets when the sun rises.

If you want to see the surface of the Red Planet, local RASC Chapters or local observatories might be holding public events. The events that require registration like those in David Dunlop Observatory, Richmond Hill are already full/waitlisted.

 

Drop-in Events during Mars Opposition (weather dependent):

  • Mars Extravaganza 2018: July 25 to July 27 and July 31 & August 1, 2018 | 9:00 PM to 11:45 PM @ William Small Centre (top of the Arboretum), York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto
  • Centre Observing Session: Thursday, 26 July | 09:00 PM to 11:00 PM @ Boulevard Lake, Thunder Bay
  • MarsFest: July 27, 2018 | 8 PM – 1 AM @ TELUSCAPE, Ontario Science Centre
  • Mars Outreach Night: Friday, July 27 | between dusk and 11:00 PM @Spencer Smith Park, Burlington
  • MARS Night!: Tuesday July 31, 2018 | Gates open at 10pm until 1am @ Rothney Astrophysical Observatory, Priddis/Calgary
  • Visit RASC Observatory – TWOSE grounds, Edmonton. No Special events are scheduled (as far as we know), but the observatory is open in the evenings from 6:45 p.m. to 10:00 p.m daily. Sunset around 09:30 pm.
  • Mars Opposition: Friday, July 27, 2018 | 9:00 pm to Midnight @ Trottier Observatory, Simon Fraser University Trottier Observatory, Burnaby

The Red Planet will not be this closer to Earth until August 29, 2287.

 

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