Mars Shines Bigger, Brighter Next Week
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Over the next night or so, the sky will have a very special visitor - Mars.
The Red Planet will appear to shine bigger and brighter as it approaches the closest point in its orbit to Earth.
You'll be able to spot the Red Planet with the naked eye, no fancy telescopes are needed.
Mars will appear the brightest on May 22nd, according to NASA, because it and the sun will be on exact opposite sides of Earth at distance of about 47.4 million miles away. The space agency said Mars is especially photogenic during opposition because it can be seen fully illuminated by the sun as viewed from Earth.
On May 30, Mars will be the closest it has been to Earth in 11 years, at a distance of 46.8 million miles. Mars reaches its highest point around midnight -- about 35 degrees above the southern horizon, or one third of the distance between the horizon and overhead. Mars will be visible for much of the night.
By mid-June, Mars will become fainter as Mars and Earth travel farther away from each other in their orbits around the Sun.
If you miss seeing Mars close approach in 2016, the next one will be July 31, 2018.
