Mars reaches opposition, expected to shine bright throughout January

AccuWeather

Mars reached opposition on Jan. 16, and the Red Planet will continue to shine bright throughout the remainder of the month. Don't miss out on this best chance to see Mars before 2027!

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00:00Catch Earth's planetary neighbor, Mars, as January is the best month of the year to observe the Red Planet.

00:07Mars reached opposition on January 16th, the position in its orbit around the Sun where it's closest to our planet.

00:14Due to its alignment, Mars is best viewed at midnight when it's at its highest point in the sky, but will be visible all night long.

00:22You don't need a telescope to observe the Red Planet, and finding the planet is not difficult either.

00:28Mars will appear in the sky like a shining red star.

00:32If you do have a telescope, you may catch a glimpse of some of Mars' geological features like the planet's polar ice caps.

00:39The planet will continue to shine bright in the night sky throughout the remainder of the month.

00:44The next Mars opposition will not occur until 2027, so be sure not to miss this year's opposition.

00:51Be sure to check the weather for the latest cloud forecast before heading outside.

00:55You can do so by visiting accuweather.com or by downloading the AccuWeather app.

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