Mars Opposition 2020-2021

Mars, in 2020, is part of the Mars Observation Campaign of 2020-2021 as it constitutes further a perihelic opposition! A Mars observation campaign is a period of time when Mars turns to its better observable for amateur astronomers, comprising the opposition proper. 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. The Mars Observation Campaign 2020-2021 is that it constitutes a 'perihelic opposition.' At the same time Mars is at is nearest to the Earth, it is, on its orbit, at its nearest of the Sun. Such peculiar oppositions take place only every 15 to 17 years. As at its last perihelic oppositions (1971, 1988, 2003), Mars displayed a disk of respectively 24.9, 23.8, and 25.15", the Red Planet, at its 2020 opposition, will be 22.4" wide only however, at the -2.6th magnitude. It is said that one may see at most five perihelic oppositions in a lifetime! Due to celestial mechanics, such closenesses are going to become relatively frequent in the future as, based on the progressive shift of both Earth and Mars' orbits and on Mars orbit's Jupiter-tugged elongation (the orbit is getting elongated, perihelion getting closer, aphelion farther), further perihelic opposition will have Mars' perihelion closer to Earth. Between now and the year 3,000 thus, there will be 7 perihelic oppositions (the closest being the one of 2729, Mars being at 34,580,000 miles from the Earth; other reliable source gives the year 2287)

ow Mars will appear in the sky of the northern hemisphere about the opposition of the Mars Observation Campaign 2020-2021! site 'Amateur Astronomy' based upon Stellarium

The Mars Observation Campaign 2020-2021 will unfold from March 19th, 2020 when Mars will reach 6" of apparent diameter until March 10th, 2021 when Mars will be back to that value, a one afficionados deem the minimum useful. Mars opposition proper will be reached on October 13th, 2020 by 23:00 UT with a 22.4" of apparent diameter and the -2.6th magnitude magnitude. The closest approach to Earth is on Oct. 6 at 38,568,243 miles (62,069,571km) as Mars will have been reaching its perihelion on August 3rd, 2020 with a apparent diameter of 14.8" only. Mars opposition is 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

That apparition of Mars is interesting in terms of apparent diameter as its interest is strengthened forwards in terms of what altitude will be reached by Mars above the horizon. Both in the northern (about 56 degree), the Tropics (about 84 degree or about the zenith), and the southern hemisphere (about 54 degree), Mars will reach a comfortable altitude for observation. Mars at the time of opposition will be lying in constellation Pisces, the Fishes. As far as that Mars Observation Campaign 2020-2021 is concerned in terms of seasons at Mars, northern summer solstice will have occurred on Oct. 8, 2019, northern winter solstice on Sep. 3, 2020. Which means that Mars at the opposition will display a northern polar cap and a diminutive southern one. At the time of the opposition, Mare Cimmerium or Elysium should be in the field, not well-known regions of Mars indeed! . check Mars data in 2020-2021