HYDERABAD : Planet Mars will be closest and it can get to Earth on Tuesday.
In other words, Planet Mars in its Journey around Sun will reach a point in its orbit which is closest it can get at 7.47 p.m. tomorrow at 0.415 AU i.e 6,20,83,116 km (62.02 Million Km).
Planetary Society of India (PSI) Director N Sri Raghunandan Kumar said that this closest approach of Mars is due to a celestial phenomenon called “Mars Opposition to Sun” which occurs once in every 26 months.
He said on October 14 at 4.56 a.m, Mars will be at Opposition to Sun because of which Planet Mars will be Closest and it can get to earth in the next 13 years.
Due to this celestial phenomenon of opposition, Mars and Sun will be Opposite to each other and in a straight line from our perspective on earth.
Whenever a planet is at Opposition, it would be closest in its orbit to earth than any other time. Hence this year Mars will appear Closest, brightest and biggest (from Telescope), Mr Kumar said.
Mr Kumar said, on October 6 at 7.47 pm, Planet Mars is placed at 0.415 AU i.e., about 62.02 million kms.
Generally the Minimum Distance from Mars to Earth is 55.7 Million kms whereas Maximum Distance Planet Mars can be away from Earth is 401.3 Million Kms.
Hence, considering the Closest/Farthest distance of Mars, it can get to earth, the PSI Director said and added October 2020 is one of the best opportunity for people to see and appreciate Mars.
It will take another 13 years for Mars to match 2020 closeness to earth and it will be in June 2033, he added.
Planet Mars can be spotted in the Sky till the end of year but with more appreciable brightness, it will be till the end of this month.
Mr Kumar said because as days pass by the distance increases so the brightness and size for observation purpose decreases.
General Public without aid of Binocular/Telescopes can spot Planet Mars in the sky after Sunset for many weeks to come. In the evening, for half-an-hour after Sunset, looking towards the sky opposite direction to sunset, one can spot Planet mars between East and South East direction.
Whereas at midnight one can see it above his head while in the morning it can be spotted in West and South West Direction, he explained and said It will appear like Orangish Red Non-Twinkling Bright object in the sky when seen by naked eye.
For more details and videos, general public can connect with PSI for assistance with maps, videos etc.. on Whatsapp 7993482012 or at www.twitter.com/infopsi or www.ournewplanets.info, Mr Kumar added. (UNI)
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