[ad_1]
Today, October 6, 2020, Mars is projected to approach Earth, approximately 38.6 million miles (62.07 million kilometers) from Earth. The closest will be until December 2022.
At the same time, Mars will legitimately be on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. This happens about every two years. During this opposition, Mars and Earth are closer to each other in their orbits.
When Mars and Earth are close to each other, Mars appears very bright in our sky. It also makes viewing with telescopes or the naked eye easier. It will weaken as Mars and Earth grow farther from each other.
This close approach occurs when Mars and Earth approach each other in their orbits around the Sun. The minimum distance from Earth to Mars is approximately 33.9 million miles (54.6 million kilometers).
Both Mars and Earth have circular orbits, but their paths are elliptical (egg-shaped). Also, the gravitational pull of the planets constantly changes the shape of their orbits somewhat. And the orbits of both planets are slightly inclined to each other.
All of these factors do not mean that all close approaches occur at the same distance.
During its closest approach, Mars will be visible for much of the night in the southern sky and is at its highest around midnight.
The next approach to Mars is December 8, 2022, when the Red Planet is only 38.6 million miles (62.07 million kilometers) from Earth.
[ad_2]
