Mars and Jupiter

Two planetary siblings are headed for a family reunion. They’re moving toward one another, and will be at their closest in a little more than a week. And they’re both bright, so you can follow their progress day by day. Jupiter and Mars climb into good view in the east by about 1:30 or 2. They’re high in the sky at dawn. Jupiter is the brightest object in the night sky after the Moon and Venus, so it’s an especially easy target. Mars rises close above it. It’s only a few percent as bright as Jupiter, but it’s brighter than most of the true stars. And it has a definite orange tint, helping it stand out. The planets are appearing close together because of their orbits around the Sun. Mars is only about a third as far as Jupiter, so its orbital speed is much higher. And it’s closer to Earth, which makes it appear to move even faster. So as it slides eastward against the background of stars, Mars will overtake its brighter and bigger sibling. The two planets will be especially close on the mornings of the 15th through the 18th. They’ll be separated by about one degree – the width of a pencil held at arm’s length. As a bonus, the star Regulus – the heart of the lion – tags along behind them. Mars will pass by it later in the month. So keep an eye on Mars as it stages two beautiful encounters in the early morning sky. Script by Damond Benningfield