Mars has just passed opposition, that means when it is at its closest point to the Earth in its orbit, so it is presently very bright in the southern sky and very hard to miss on a clear night. At just before 4am tomorrow morning, Thursday December 8th, the Moon passes in front of the planet. This is called an “occultation”, a rare event particularly when Mars is as its brightest until 2033. It will be a great sight in binoculars and a super photo opportunity. The image below shows a screen shot of a simulation of the occulation from Stellarium. Mars will emerge about an hour later at 5:56 am. The forecast is clear, so set your alarm clock!
