Mars in 2022
Opposition for Mars will fall at 6 UTC on December 8, 2022 (midnight CST on the evening of December 7-8).
Learn how to see Mars within the sky: At opposition – as Earth flies between Mars and the sun, putting Mars reverse the sun in our sky – Mars rises within the east at sundown, attain its highest level round midnight and units at daybreak. How are you going to acknowledge it? For one factor, it’s brighter than even the brightest stars. And it’s noticeably crimson in coloration. However there’s a fair higher strategy to establish Mars on the evening of December 7-8. That evening, Mars shouldn’t be solely at opposition, but in addition close to December’s full moon. When you look and don’t see Mars close to the moon, that is likely to be as a result of the moon is in entrance of Mars! Read about the December 7-8 occultation of Mars.
Mars was closest to Earth at 2 UTC on December 1, 2022 (8 p.m. CST on November 30). At its closest, Mars was 4.5 light-minutes from Earth.
At opposition in 2022, Mars’ constellation is in entrance of the constellation Taurus the Bull.
Its opposition brightness is magnitude -1.9 (most brightness for 2022). At this level, though Mars is brighter than all the celebs, it nonetheless gained’t be as as vibrant as Venus or Jupiter.
By way of a telescope, at opposition, Mars will seem 17.01 arcseconds throughout. Main options on Mars will present floor coloration, plus Mars’ white polar cap will likely be seen.
Notice: Mars reaches opposition solely about each 26 months. This 2022 opposition could be very particular as a result of – as seen from all over the world – the moon will seem close to Mars within the sky. From some areas, together with components of North America and Europe, the moon cross in entrance of Mars on the identical evening as opposition, December 7-8.
Read: Moon occults Mars on December 7-8
Read: December full moon mimics the June sun
The place to look at Mars opposition and occultation on-line
Finder chart
View from above the solar system, December 2022
Typically, Mars is faint
Mars was in our night sky for a lot of 2021. However, round October, the crimson planet disappeared from our sky for a time. Its superior conjunction – when it was most straight behind the sun as seen from Earth – was October 8, 2021. Some weeks afterwards – as each Earth and Mars moved of their respective orbits across the sun – Mars returned to our sky as a faint crimson dot within the east earlier than dawn. To make sure, it remained inconspicuous all through the early months of 2022.
Typically, Mars is vibrant
Mars steadily brightened within the first half of 2022, first as a morning object. However later, in the course of the second half of 2022, Mars shines as a vibrant crimson ruby within the night sky. It’ll attain opposition – when Earth will fly between Mars and the sun – on December 8, 2022.
Certainly, Mars’ dramatic swings in brightness (and its crimson coloration) are why the early stargazers named Mars for his or her God of War.
Typically the conflict god rests. And generally he grows fierce! These modifications are a part of the rationale Mars is so fascinating to look at within the evening sky.
Want to follow Mars? Bookmark EarthSky’s monthly night sky guide.
Mars isn’t very large
To know why Mars varies a lot in brightness in Earth’s sky, first understand that Mars isn’t a really large world. It’s solely 4,219 miles (6,790 km) in diameter, making it solely barely greater than half Earth’s measurement (7,922 miles or 12,750 km in diameter).
Take into account Mars in distinction to Jupiter, the most important planet in our solar system. Jupiter is 86,881 miles (140,000 km) in diameter. Greater than 20 planets the dimensions of Mars could possibly be lined up facet by facet in entrance of Jupiter. Jupiter at all times seems vibrant, as a result of it’s so large.
Not so for little Mars. Its extremes in brightness need to do with its nearness (or lack of nearness) to Earth.
Future Martian oppositions
When is the following opposition of Mars? The subsequent time Mars will seem at its brightest for that two-year interval in our sky? You guessed it. In January 2025! Take a look at the chart on this page that lists all oppositions of Mars from 1995 to 2037.
Seeing crimson
Mars seems as a reddish gentle within the sky and is usually referred to as the crimson planet. Mars is at present close to two apparent crimson stars within the sky, reddish-orange Aldebaran and the well-known crimson supergiant Betelgeuse. So, it’ll be enjoyable to match Mars’ coloration and depth of crimson with that of Aldebaran or Betelgeuse.
Floor temperature is what determines star colors. The most popular stars are blue; the good stars are crimson. Actually, from hottest to coolest, the colours of stars vary from blue, white, yellow, orange and crimson. And whereas the colours of stars is likely to be exhausting to detect, some stars – like Aldebaran and Betelgeuse – are noticeably colourful.
Iron oxide
Then again, Mars appears red for a distinct purpose. It’s crimson due to iron oxide within the dust that covers this desert world. Iron oxide offers rust and blood its crimson coloration. Rovers on Mars sampled the Martian dust and decided it comprises three colours: reds, browns and oranges. So these three colours are what you might even see while you gaze upon Mars.
Do you see crimson while you take a look at Mars, Aldebaran and Betelgeuse? Are they the identical coloration? Do you see some other colours of stars?
Backside line: Mars has brightened all through 2022 because it attracts close to its opposition on December 8. Plus, the moon will occult – cross in entrance of – Mars on December 7-8.
