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Mars is reaching a apparent diameter of 18.4" for that Mars opposition of 2016. The opposition proper occurs on May 22, 2016 by 11:11 UT. Mars, for that opposition, is closing us by or 46,7 million miles. Due to its relative proximity, Mars is reaching a opposition each 26 months only and not each year like the other superior planets do. The opposition of a superior planet, a planet located beyond Earth relative to the Sun is when it is aligned with the Sun and Earth, providing about its best observable in terms of apparent diameter and magnitude. The planet then rises at sunset and sets at sunrise. for more about superior planets and the remarkable moment of their orbital positions, check our Planets Apparent Motion tutorial. Afficionados are introducing the concept of a 'Mars Observation Campaign', or 'Martian Observation Campaign,' which is a wide span of time spanning either side the date of opposition, from when the Red Planet is reaching to 6" of apparent diameter to when it comes back to that value, value the afficionados deems the minimal to have the planet worth the observation. For that campaign, that period runs from January 13th to December 21st, 2016! Mars opposition are too a good opportunity for non-afficionados to get into the discovery of the Red Planet, as they can take advantage of Mars largest apparent diameter. for more about a Martian opposition in terms of observation, check our Mars Oppositions tutorial
 | Check how Mars will appear in the sky of the northern hemisphere by the night of the opposition, on May 22nd, 2016! site 'Amateur Astronomy' based upon Stellarium |
That apparition of Mars is interesting in terms of apparent diameter as its interest is less, in terms of altitude above the horizon for the northern hemisphere. The very day of opposition, Mars, in the northern hemisphere, is ahead the arch of stars preceding Scorpio, the Scorpion, southeast as its highest, the Red Planet will have reached about 29° of altitude only, a weak value compared to other oppositions. The show is higher, at the Tropics, by 68 degree of altitude and Mars rising some more East. In the southern hemisphere, Mars is tending to the zenith at its highest, and rising more East like at the Tropics. Mars at its opposition, on May 22nd, 2016 is reaching the -2nd magnitude and a 18.4" of apparent diameter. In terms a distance between Earth and Mars, the closest is on May 30th, 2016 by 18.6" of apparent diameter. The show generally will be fine with Mars facing Antares, the star which was named like the 'rival to Mars!' Both object will be displaying a fine red hue as Saturn will lie not that far and the Full Moon also present. As far as that Mars Observation Campaign 2016 is concerned in terms of seasons at Mars, northern summer solstice occurs on Jan. 3, 2016, autumnal equinox (northern fall, southern spring) on Jul. 4, 2016 and northern winter solstice on Nov. 28, 2016, respectively). The north polar cap should be seen rapidly retreating as the southern one should reach its maximum by early July 2016
 | A view of how Mars' apparent diameter will change between January 13th and December 18th, 2016. site 'Amateur Astronomy' |
