Mars to shine brighter than it has in more than a decade; Viewing party Saturday

If you've looked at the night sky lately you've probably noticed what looks like a very bright (and red) star. It's not a star though, it's Mars, and it's shining brighter than it has in more than a decade.

From July 27 until July 30, it will be Mars Opposition, the time when Mars and the sun are on directly opposite sides of Earth. It will appear Mars is rising in the east just as the sun sets in the west.

Mars will be closer to the Earth than normal during this time.

Those two things are making the Red Planet appear brighter than usual.

According to NASA, Opposition is a phenomenon that last happened in 2016, and it won’t happen again until 2020.

Mars will become unmistakable on Saturday night, July 28 at Western Nevada College’s Jack C. Davis Observatory and the public is invited.

If the skies are clear, observatory visitors will see this phenomenon, even though the Red Planet will be nearly 36 million miles away.

The Mars opposition will run in conjunction with the observatory’s weekly Star Party presented by the Western Nevada Astronomical Society from sundown to 11 p.m.
Brian Bahouth of KNVC (95.1 FM) provides more details about the Mars opposition and the observatory in his interview with Jack C. Davis Observatory Director Dr. Thomas Herring at www.knvc.org/news/one-of-the-best-views-of-mars-in-nevada-is-from-carson-city-the-jack-c-davis-obser....

Jack C. Davis Observatory is located at 2699 Van Patten Drive on the Carson City campus.