Mars makes closest pass to Earth in 15 years

ATLANTA — Mars is now in the evening sky, just as it comes its closest to Earth in 15 years.

NASA scientists told Channel 2 Action News that Mars will be in a position called "opposition," the opposite side of the Earth from the sun, and with its close proximity to Earth, it will be at its brightest since 2003.

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, July 31st, Mars will be at perigee, the point in its orbit farthest from the Sun. This is also the day Mars will be closest to Earth.

Mars will continue to appear bright in the sky until the middle of August.

Experts say Mars is just one of several planets you’ll be able to see.

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“Mars will appear very bright, Saturn very bright and even Jupiter earlier in the sky is very bright,” said Hubble Space Telescope scientist Dr. Jennifer Wiseman.

Severe Weather Team 2 said clouds will be minimal Saturday evening. The best viewing will be around midnight.

This is the closest Mars has come to us since August 27, 2003, when the separation was 34,646,418 miles.

On that date, the Red Planet was closer to Earth than it had been since 57,617 BC!

According to experts Mars appearance is twice as bright as Jupiter, which is also prominent now in the southwestern evening sky.

Cox Media Group