During early 2018, Mars rambles eastward among the stars, growing nearly 40% in brightness. On the morning of February 10, Mars passes 5 degrees from the star Antares. Jupiter is 17 degrees to the upper right of Mars and the waning crescent moon is 14 degrees to the lower left. (Mars passes Jupiter on January 7.) Mars is the Roman name for this planet. The Greeks called it Ares. Antares is sometimes called the “Rival of Mars.” When both are in the sky they resemble each other in brightness and color. Another way to consider this is the prefix “Ant,” sometimes meaning against: Antares = Against Mars. Yet another way is to think that “Ant” can be replaced with “Not:” Not Mars. This star is Antares, not Mars; it’s not Mars.
The articles that follow provide details about the planets visible without optical assistance (binoculars or telescope):
- Chart and Image Collection
- 2018: The Morning Sky
- 2018: The Evening Sky
- 2018, January 7: Jupiter-Mars Conjunction
- 2018, April 2: Saturn-Mars Conjunction
- 2018: Mercury in the Morning Sky
- 2018: Mercury in the Evening Sky
- 2018: Five Planets Visible at Once
- 2018: Venus the Evening Star
- 2017-2019: Mars Observing Year with a Perihelic Opposition, July 27, 2018
- 2018: Mars Perihelic Opposition
- 2017-2018: Jupiter’s Year in the Claws of the Scorpion, A Triple Conjunction
- 2018: Three Planets at Opposition in 79 days
- 2018: Saturn with the Teapot