On Tuesday , February 18 , the moon will float aright in front of Mars , entirely haze over it from view .
The Sun Myung Moon covers Mars comparatively often — according toSky & Telescope , it will happen five times this year alone — but we do n’t always get to see it from Earth . Next hebdomad , however , residents of North America canlook upto see what ’s called alunar occultationin action mechanism . The moon ’s orbit will bring it between Earth and Mars , countenance the moon to " bury " the Red Planet over the course of 14 seconds . Mars will stay hidden for just under 90 minutes , and then reemerge from behind the moon .
Depending on where you dwell , you might have to set your warning gadget quite a spot earlier than you usually do for catch the show . In ecumenical , people in eastern component of the country will seeMarsdisappear a short afterwards ; in Phoenix , for example , it ’ll find at 4:37:27 a.m. , Chicagoans can watch it at 6:07:10 a.m. , and New Yorkers might even already be awake when themoonswallows Mars at 7:36:37 a.m.
If you ca n’t avail but hit the forty winks clitoris , you could hop the disappearing bit ( also calledimmersion ) and hold off for Mars to re-emerge on the other side of the lunation ( calledemersion ) . egress times depart based on location , too , but they ’re around an minute and a half later than ingress times on medium . you may check the specific multiplication for one C of cities across the nation here [ PDF ] .
Since it bring only 14 seconds for Mars to full vanish ( or reemerge ) , promptness is a requirement — and so is optical aid . Mars wo n’t be bright enough for you to see it with your naked eye , so Sky & Telescope recommends looking skyward through field glasses or a telescope .
think of holding an early - morning viewing party on Tuesday ? Here are 10 rivetingfactsabout Mars that you’re able to use to affect your guests .
[ h / tSky & Telescope ]
