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<ul><li>The <keyword id="6385434" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="red-planet">Red Planet</keyword> was closest to the Earth on October 6 but will appear the brightest tonight, on October 13. </li><li>Mars will be at opposition — directly opposite the Sun — making it shine along Earth’s horizon in the Northern Hemisphere.</li><li>Mars’ opposition year is notable because the planet will also be at its perihelion — the closet point to the Sun in its orbit around the fiery star. </li></ul>Mars will be at its brightest tonight, on October 13. And the Red Planet will not appear this bright again for another 25 years, until 2035. <br /><br />It is because Mars will be at opposition, according to <a href="https://skyandtelescope.org/press-releases/mars-at-its-biggest-and-brightest-until-2035/">Sky and Telescope</a>. What this essentially means is, the planet is directly opposite the Sun in the sky. And, Earth is bang in the middle between the two.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="mars opposition_edited" msid="78556534" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Diagram of Mars at opposition. The Red Planet is exactly opposite to the Sun with the Eath in between.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />On the day, Mars will also be at its maximum apparent size when viewed through telescopes. This is despite the fact that Mars and Earth were actually at their closest — merely 62 million kilometers apart — two days ago, on October 6. <br /><br />This year’s opposition is incredibly unique because the Red Planet will also be at the point in its orbit closest to the Sun called the perihelion. Mars reached this point of its non-round orbit on August 3 and has slowly been moving away since.<br /><br /><strong><keyword id="10074597" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="how-to-see-mars">How to see Mars</keyword> when it’s at its brightest<br /></strong>Two years ago, Mars was somewhat closer to Earth than this year — around 58 million kilometers versus the current 62 million kilometers.<br /><br />Nonetheless, sky gazers in the Northern Hemisphere will be in a better position to catch a glimpse. The Red Planet will be farther north and higher in the sky this year. <br /><br />You can catch the planet streak across Earth’s skies without necessarily needing a telescope. Just step outside during the evening and look east. Mars will be easy to spot as the brightest object in that part of the horizon appearing as a campfire-orange ‘star’.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="mars red star_edited" msid="78556608" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Mars will appear as the brightest red star along the horizon on October 13&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />At around midnight, it will rise high towards the south. With a telescope, astronomers will be able to peer close enough to study the planet’s surface features. <br /><br />After October 13, Mars will rise earlier and earlier in the evening before gradually beginning to fade. By the end of November, Mars will be only a quarter as bright.<br /><br /><strong>SEE ALSO:<br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/indias-defence-ministry-removes-three-years-worth-of-monthly-reports-from-website/articleshow/78552916.cms">India’s Defence Ministry removes three-years worth of monthly reports from website</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/infosys-to-acquire-us-based-data-analytics-company-for-125-million-deal-expected-to-close-in-third-quarter/articleshow/78551010.cms">Infosys to acquire US-based data analytics company for $125 million — deal expected to close in third quarter</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/iaf-displays-its-might-with-rafale-apache-tejas-and-others-during-the-annual-air-force-day-airshow/slidelist/78549506.cms">IN PICS: IAF displays its might with Rafale, Apache, Tejas, and others during the annual Air Force Day airshow</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/tcs-and-wipro-lead-rally-in-it-stocks-after-tcs-ceo-announces-multi-year-technology-transformation-cycle-in-the-works/articleshow/78547893.cms">TCS and Wipro lead rally in IT stocks after TCS CEO announces multi-year 'technology transformation' cycle in the works</a></strong><br />

Mars will appear bigger, redder, and brighter tonight before dimming for another 25 years

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><ul><li><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/mars">Mars</a> will be at its closest point to our planet in 15 years throughout July, making for some prime nighttime viewing.</strong></li><li><strong>That's because of a phenomenon called perihelic opposition, in which Earth's and Mars' orbits align, bringing the two planets closer together.&#xa0;</strong></li><li><strong>Perihelic opposition only occurs once every 15 to 17 years, so get out there and find the red planet in the sky.&#xa0;</strong></li></ul><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/mars">Mars</a> will look brighter in the night sky over the next six weeks than it has appeared in 15 years.</p><p>That's because the red planet will be at its closest point to Earth since 2003 throughout June and July, as our planet passes between Mars and the sun.</p><p>On July 31, when Mars will be at its brightest, it'll be&#xa0;<span>35.8 million miles away from Earth, <a href="https://weather.com/science/space/news/2018-06-13-mars-brighter-closer-since-2003">according to The Weather Channel</a>.&#xa0;</span></p><p><span>Mars will be easily visible to the naked eye throughout July, outshining all but the brightest stars as it gets to its closest point.</span></p><p><span>The reason for this is a phenomenon called perihelic opposition. In simple terms, opposition is when Earth passes directly between Mars and the sun. Last month, Jupiter was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jupiter-in-opposition-on-may-8-2018-5">in opposition</a> to our planet, swinging within 409 million miles of Earth.&#xa0;</span></p><p><span>Mars opposition happens every two years or so - the last one came in May&#xa0;2016. But this year is special because&#xa0;within a few weeks of the opposition, the red planet will also hit its closest point to the sun in its orbit, a point called the perihelion.</span></p><p><span>Perihelic opposition occurs only once every 15 to 17 years, when Earth's and Mars' orbits align to bring the two planets close together, according to <a href="https://mars.nasa.gov/allaboutmars/nightsky/opposition/">NASA</a>.&#xa0;</span></p><p><span>But while Mars may look bright and beautiful from your backyard, the reality on the planet is much less friendly. A <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mars-dust-storm-pictures-opportunity-rover-2018-6">dust storm</a>&#xa0;is currently walloping Mars, covering around 10 billion acres of the red planet's surface. That's an area equivalent to the size of North America and Russia, and it takes up a quarter of Mars' surface area.&#xa0;</span></p><p><span>"The storm is one of the most intense ever observed on the Red Planet," NASA said in&#xa0;<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-to-hold-media-teleconference-on-martian-dust-storm-mars-opportunity-rover">a press release</a>.</span></p><p><span>NASA put its solar-powered <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/opportunity-rover">Opportunity</a> rover in sleep mode to ride out the storm, but its unclear whether the aging rover will be able to function again after the storm ends. </span></p><p>The image below shows a series of pictures that NASA simulated from the perspective of the Opportunity rover. They give a sense of what the sun and sky have looked like from Mars' surface - at the brightest time of the day - as the storm has worsened. In the far-right picture, the sun is entirely blotted out to Opportunity.</p><p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></span></p><p><span>NASA's newer <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/curiosity">Curiosity</a>&#xa0;rover runs on nuclear power and is located in an area of Mars that has been less affected by the dust storm, so it seems to be doing fine. </span></p><p><span>The animation below shows the dust storm spreading (it's that orangeish blob), with the locations of the Opportunity and Curiosity rovers labeled.</span></p><p>&#xa0;</p><div><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:54%"></div></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/controlling-weather-in-future-2018-5">How we'll control the weather in 100 years</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div></hr>

Mars will come closer to Earth in the coming weeks than it has been in 15 years - here's how to see it

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container full"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA18109">NASA</a></span></p></div><p></p></div>The above <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/content/martian-sand-dunes-in-spring/#.UyCit-ewJ8-" target="_blank">image</a> taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in January shows northern spring beginning on Mars, where dark sand dunes are seen emerging from a winter coat of carbon dioxide ice.</p>
<p>Mars, like Earth, has <a href="http://science1.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2000/interplanetaryseasons/" target="_blank">four seasons</a>. On Earth, the seasons are similar in length, about 90 days, because of the nearly circular orbit of the Earth around the sun. The changes in season - fall, winter, spring, and summer- are mostly caused by Earth's axial tilt.</p>
<p>The seasons on Mars are not similar in length, and much longer, because a Martian year is almost double the length of an Earth year and the planet's distance from the sun varies widely during its orbit. The entire planet is much warmer when its close to the sun, called perihelion, than when its far from the sun, called aphelion.  </p>
<p>A description of the photo, released by NASA in early March reads: "The steep lee sides of the dunes are also ice-free along the crest, allowing sand to slide down the dune. Dark splotches are places where ice cracked earlier in spring, releasing sand. Soon the dunes will be completely bare and all signs of spring activity will be gone."</p>

What Springtime Looks Like On Mars

<ul><li><keyword id="8556256" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="asteroid-2020-av2">Asteroid 2020 AV2</keyword> has the smallest semi-major axis and smaller aphelion of any known asteroid.<br /></li><li>Zwicky Transient Facility deems this to be a <keyword id="8556259" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-class-of-asteroid">new class of asteroid</keyword>.<br /></li><li>Its orbit falls entirely within the Earth's but does not cross the orbit of any other planet in the Solar System.<br /></li></ul>Most <keyword id="81841" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Asteroids">asteroids</keyword> that orbit the Sun can be found in the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/asteroid-shows-half-of-the-worlds-ocean-came-from-outer-space/articleshow/69139347.cms">Asteroid Belt</a> or along the outer edges of the Solar System, in the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/scavenger-hunt-for-planet-x-just-dropped-another-clue/articleshow/66072531.cms">Kuiper Belt</a> — home of the former planet <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/pluto-the-planet-has-oceans-under-the-surface-instead-of-ice/articleshow/69431963.cms">Pluto</a>. Some anomalies break free and cross the orbits of other planets as they swing around the Solar System's star. <br /><br />However, astronomers At the Zwicky Transient Facility (<a href="http://iawn.net/technical/neos.shtml#2020_AV2">ZTF</a>) have discovered a new asteroid that does neither of those things. <br /><br />Instead of being located in the <keyword id="1898611" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Asteroid-belt">Asteroid belt</keyword>, 2020 AV2 has an orbit that falls between Mercury and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/venus-might-have-been-habitable-700-million-years-ago-with-temperate-climates-and-shallow-oceans/articleshow/71254413.cms">Venus</a>. And, it doesn't cross either of their paths. Its orbit resides entirely between the two planets. According to ZTF, it's an entirely "new class of Solar System objects".<br /><br /><div type="image" title="asteroid2" msid="73221497" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;2020 AV2’s orbit around the Sun which resides entirely between Mercury and Venus&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

<br />"Currently 2020 AV2 has both the smallest semi-major axis and smallest aphelion of any known asteroid," as per the International Asteroid Warning Network's (<a href="http://iawn.net/technical/neos.shtml#2020_AV2">IAWN</a>) notification. <br /><br />The semi-major axis is a useful way to measure how far an asteroid is from the Sun on average. If 2020 AV2 has the ‘smallest semi-major axis', this means — on average — its closer to the Sun than any other asteroid in the Solar System. <br /><br />The aphelion is the point when the orbit of an asteroid is the furthest from the Sun. So if every asteroid known to man was put in a line-up of their distance from the Sun at aphelion, 2020 AV2 would be the closest to Earth's star.<br /><br /><strong>It's not a threat to Earth<br /></strong><br />2020 AV2 has a diameter of between 1 to 3 kilometres — about half the height of Kilimanjaro — and it doesn't pose a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/the-10-biggest-asteroids-that-pose-a-threat-to-earth-in-2020/articleshow/73054066.cms">threat to Earth</a>. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (<a href="https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2020%20AV2;old=0;orb=1;cov=0;log=0;cad=1#cad">JPL</a>) estimates that the 2020 AV2 will be at its closest point to the planet on 14 October 2020.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="mount-kilimanjaro-278082_1920_edited" msid="73221516" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Mount Kilimanjaro, a dormant volcano in Tanzania&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

<br />Even then, it will be nearly 0.35 AU away from Earth. That's over 11 million kilometres more than how far Venus is from the planet at its closest point.<br /><br /><strong>Icaruses of the Solar System<br /></strong><br />The discovery of 2020 AV2 doesn't mean that other asteroids don't come even closer to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/nasas-sun-probe-sheds-new-light-on-our-star-here-the-5-new-secrets-it-uncovered/articleshow/72395624.cms">the Sun</a>. They do — but only for a very small fraction of their entire orbit.<br /><br />For instance, <keyword id="842297" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ICARUS">Icarus</keyword> — the first asteroid to ever be observed by radar — comes closer to the Sun than even Mercury, every year 1 year and 1 month. <br /><br />However, the asteroid named after the Greek myth of the boy who flew too close to the Sun also crosses the paths of Venus and Mercury in doing so.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="icarus" msid="73221521" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Goldstone delay-Doppler image of Icarus obtained on 17 June 2015&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

<br />Since Icarus' discovery in 1968, astronomers have found other asteroids that fly even closer to the giant flaming ball of gas at the centre of our Solar System. The asteroid with smallest known perihelion — the point when the orbit of an asteroid is the closest to the Sun — is 2005 HC4.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="asteroid3" msid="73221525" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;2005 HC4 orbit around the Sun which stretches beyond the orbit of Mars&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

<br />It flies within 0.071 AU of the Sun, that's 23% closer than Mercury, but also goes out as far that 3.562 AU away from the Sun — well beyond the orbit of Mars. It may not always be the closest to the Sun, but the large divergence between its perihelion and aphelion, makes it the fastest asteroid discovered so far travelling at 565,000 kilometres per hour (kph).<br /><br />In doing so, its orbit crosses the orbits of Mercury, Venus and Mars.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="atira" msid="73221529" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Radar images of 163693 Atira taken at Arecibo Observatory on 20 January 2017&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

<br />Only 20 asteroids spotted so far have orbits that fall entirely within Earth's dubbed Atira asteroids. And, even they cross the paths of other planets.<br /><br />2020 AV2 is the only asteroid so far that orbits the Sun within Earth's, and doesn't cross any other planet's orbit.<br /><br /><strong>See also:<br /></strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/nasas-lucy-is-going-to-travel-4-billion-miles-to-explore-seven-trojan-asteroids-and-an-asteroid-moon/articleshow/73189625.cms">NASA's 'Lucy' is going to travel 4 billion miles to explore seven Trojan asteroids — and an asteroid Moon</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/the-10-biggest-asteroids-that-pose-a-threat-to-earth-in-2020/articleshow/73054066.cms">The 10 biggest asteroids that pose a threat to Earth in 2020</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/research/news/not-an-asteroid-but-massive-volcanic-eruptions-in-india-might-have-set-off-mass-extinction-66-million-years-ago/articleshow/72831792.cms">Not an asteroid but massive volcanic eruptions in India might have set off mass extinction 66 million years ago</a><br />

You Searched For "mars perihelion" and got 4 results

Mars will appear bigger, redder, and brighter tonight before dimming for another 25 years

Prabhjote Gill

Mars will come closer to Earth in the coming weeks than it has been in 15 years - here's how to see it

Jeremy Berke

What Springtime Looks Like On Mars

Dina Spector

Astronomers discover an asteroid that's closer to the Sun than any other

Prabhjote Gill

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