2020, October: Look For Bright Mars

Astronomy, Sky Watching
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2020 October 30: In the western sky, the gibbous moon appears 7.2° to the upper left of Mars (composite image).

During October 2020, Mars appears as a very bright star in the eastern evening sky and western morning sky. Mars is closest to Earth on October 6, and at opposition a week later.  This is the closest distance to Mars until 2035. The moon passes the planet twice, October 2 and October 29.

by Jeffrey L. Hunt

This month the Red Planet is at its closest to Earth and at opposition with the sun.  Mars the overly bright star that appears in the eastern sky during the early evening hours and is visible nearly all night.  As sunrise approaches look for it in the western sky.

Mars and Earth are closest until Earth passes Mars during mid-September 2035.

Mars is the second brightest “star” following Venus.  The Red Planet’s brightness varies greatly depending on its distance from Earth.

The moon is visible with Mars on the evening of October 2 and morning of October 3.  They appear together again on the evening of October 29, two days before the Halloween Full Moon.

During the month, Mars appears to be moving westward compared to the stars as it nears its closest approach to Earth and its opposition with the sun.  The westward motion is an illusion from our faster moving Earth passing Mars. 

2020, October: Mars retrogrades among the dim stars of Pisces as it makes its closest approach and then reaches opposition.

The chart above shows the motion of Mars compared to the dim starfield of Pisces.

Mars’ orbit is elliptical.  This non-circular path takes Mars close to the sun and farther away.  The closest point of Mars to the sun (and any other planet) is known as perihelion; its farthest point from the sun is aphelion.

2020, October 6: Mars is closest to Earth today. The is 2.6° to the lower right of Nu Piscium (ν Psc on the photo) and 0.3° to the lower left of Mu Piscium (μ Psc).
2020, October 5: Mars is one day from its closest approach to Earth. The Red Planet is 2.3° to the lower right of Nu Piscium (ν Psc) and 0.5° to the upper left of Mu Piscium (μ Psc).
2020: October 7: Mars is 0.4° to the lower left of Mu Piscium (μ Psc on the photo) and 2.9° to the lower right of Nu Piscium (ν Psc). With a binocular watch the planet approach and pass 80 Piscium (80 Psc) as it continues to retrograde.
2020, October 8: Mars is 0.6° below Mu Piscium (μ Psc). Watch Mars move toward 80 Piscium (80 Psc).
2020, October 8: Mars is in the eastern sky after sunset among the dim stars of Pisces.
2020, October 13: Opposition morning. Mars is 2.1° to the lower left of Mu Piscium (μ Psc) and 3.1° to the lower left of Zeta Piscium (ζ Psc).
2020, October 15: In the east-southeast, Mars is 3.0° to the upper right of Mu Piscium (μ Psc), 1.6° to the upper left of 89 Piscium (89 Psc), and 2.6° to the lower right of Zeta Piscium (ζ Psc).
2020, October 22: Rusty Mars – shining from the east – is 0.9° below 80 Piscium (80 Psc).
2020, October 24: Mars shines in the west among the stars of Pisces. This morning the Red Planet is 0.7° to the lower left of 80 Piscium (80 Psc), 3.3° to the lower left of Epsilon Piscium (ε Psc), and 2.9° to the lower left of Zeta Piscium (ζ Psc).
2020, October 28: Bright Mars shines from Pisces. It is 1.2° below 80 Piscium (80 Psc) and 3.1° to the lower left of Epsilon Piscium (ε Psc).
2020 October 30: In the western sky, the gibbous moon appears 7.2° to the upper left of Mars (composite image).
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Mars Slideshow for October 2020.

The perihelion distance from the sun is about 20% closer than the aphelion distance.

Mars revolves around the sun in nearly 687 earth days or 1.88 earth years.  Earth catches, passes, and moves away from Mars every 780 days (on average) – about 26 months.  Sometimes, Mars is near opposition when it is near perihelion.  The same occurs when it is at aphelion.

A perihelic opposition occurred July 27, 2018.  Earth was closest to Mars four days later.  Mars was still moving closer to the sun and had not yet passed its perihelion.

This year, the Martian perihelion occurred August 2.  As Earth approaches Mars, Mars is slowly moving away from the sun.  The closest distance occurs on October 6.

A week later, Mars is opposite the sun in the sky.  Mars rises in the east as the sun sets in the west, appears in the southern sky near midnight, and sets in the west in the morning as the sun rises in the east.

When larger telescopes were developed, observations near oppositions, especially perihelic oppositions, revealed the Martian moons and features on its surface.  Other observations led to misconceptions of Martian canals, cities, and life – and perhaps helped promote science fiction stories of journeys to and from the Red Planet.

For those with telescopes or who want more information about Mars see:

Read more about the planets during October.

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