The moon makes its shut method to Mars on Monday (Feb. 27) with the pair of celestial objects additionally sharing the identical right ascension within the evening sky, an association referred to as a “conjunction.”
Throughout the conjunction, each the moon and Mars will likely be within the constellation of Taurus, the bull. The moon may have a magnitude of -12.0, with the minus prefix indicating a very brilliant object over Earth, whereas Mars may have a magnitude of 0.4.
In accordance with In the Sky (opens in new tab) from New York Metropolis the conjunction between the third quarter moon and the Purple Planet will likely be seen quickly after the moon rises at 10:54 a.m. EST (1554 GMT). The conjunction will stay observable effectively into the evening till simply earlier than the moon units at round 2:14 a.m. EST on Feb. 28 (0714 GMT).
Associated: Night sky, February 2023: What you can see tonight [maps]
Each the moon and Jupiter with have a right ascension of 05h08m00s in the course of the conjunction, however the moon may have a declination of +26°23′ and Mars a declination of +25°20′. There will likely be a large distinction within the dimension of the 2 our bodies within the evening sky with Purple Planet having an angular dimension of 8″2 whereas the third quarter moon has an angular dimension of 29’56″0.
The moon’s angular dimension is a results of its proximity to Earth and it will have one other consequence on Monday. As a result of the moon is so near Earth, simply 238,000 miles (384,000 kilometers) away on common, it seems elsewhere within the evening sky, separated by as a lot as 2 levels to observers in numerous spots throughout the planet’s floor.
Mars is at a a lot higher distance from Earth than the moon at a median of 101 million miles (164 million kilometers) away, and thus it seems at kind of the identical place within the sky for observers across the globe.
This implies whereas skywatchers in New York are observing the moon subsequent to Mars, observers in some areas of the planet will see the moon cowl the Purple Planet, an association referred to as a lunar occultation. On Monday, Feb. 27, the lunar occultation of Mars will likely be seen from japanese Greenland, Svalbard, and western Russia, in response to In the Sky (opens in new tab).
Even though the objects will make a detailed method, technically referred to as an appulse, in the course of the conjunction the moon and Mars nonetheless will not be shut sufficient to be seen within the slender subject of view of most telescopes (relying in your magnification stage), though the occultation will. The conjunction will likely be seen within the wider subject of view of binoculars and ought to be observable with the bare eye in the suitable circumstances, nevertheless.
In case you’re hoping to catch a glimpse of the lunar occultation moon and Mars individually in the course of the conjunction our guides for the best telescopes are an important place to start out. If you wish to glimpse the conjunction between the 2, Area.com’s best binoculars information ought to show helpful.
In case you’re trying to snap pictures of the evening sky, try our information on how to photograph the moon, in addition to our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.
Editor’s Be aware: In case you snap the Mars and the moon in conjunction and want to share it with Area.com’s readers, ship your photograph(s), feedback, and your identify and placement to spacephotos@space.com.
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