The Mars Apparition of 2006-2008

Following superior conjunction on October 23rd 2006 (when it passed directly behind the Sun) Mars emerged in the dawn sky in December 2006 as a relatively dim 'morning star', rising shortly before the Sun. Through the first half of 2007, the planet was best viewed from the Southern hemisphere. For Northern hemisphere observers, viewing circumstances were poor from late 2006 and throughout the first half of 2007, with Mars appearing low down in the Eastern sky at dawn. Mars became a prominently visible object from the Northern hemisphere around July 2007, by which time it was rising some three hours or so before the Sun. Viewing circumstances improved for both hemispheres as 2007 progressed.

From late 2006 through to November 2007, Mars moved steadily eastwards (i.e. direct motion) through the following constellations, slowly brightening as its distance from Earth reduced:

Mars began to brighten significantly from late August/early September of 2007 and reached opposition (i.e. its brightest for this apparition) on the night of December 24th 2007. Note that, although opposition took place on this date, Mars' closest approach to the Earth (at 0.5893 Astronomical Units or 88.15 million kms) took place a little earlier - on December 19th - because of its eccentric orbit.

With an apparent magnitude of -1.6 and a maximum apparent disk diameter of 15.8 arcseconds, Mars was not as bright nor as large (when seen through a telescope) as it was at its previous opposition in November 2005, when the planet reached magnitude -2.3 and had an apparent diameter of 20.1 arcseconds. This reduction in apparent size and brightness will continue at the next two oppositions, culminating in Mars' aphelic opposition in Leo in 2012.

For much of the period displayed in the above map, Mars is brighter than all of the stars shown, with a handful of exceptions. Capella ( Aur or Alpha Aurigae, apparent magnitude +0.08) exceeded Mars in brightness prior to late September 2007 and will do so again after late February 2008; Betelgeuse ( Ori or Alpha Orionis, mag. +0.5v) and Procyon ( CMi or Alpha Canis Minoris, mag. +0.38) exceed Mars in brightness after early March 2008 and Aldebaran ( Tau or Alpha Tauri, mag. +0.85) is brighter than the planet from early April 2008.

On opposition day (which co-incided with Christmas Eve in the Christian calendar), Mars was joined by the Full Moon, which passed close by the planet during the early morning hours (see Moon near Mars dates below). For Northern hemisphere observers, the planet was then due South at local midnight (due North at local midnight in the Southern hemisphere).

For Northern hemisphere observers, the 2007 Mars opposition saw the planet appear about as high as it can get in the sky at meridian transit (due South) providing optimal viewing conditions for telescopic observers, though this was rather offset by its less-than-favourable apparent size.

Telescopic observing conditions in the Southern hemisphere were less favourable, since there the planet appeared at its lowest possible angular elevation when at meridian transit (due North).

Mars fades rapidly after opposition as its distance from Earth increases, but it remains visible for some 11 months in the evening sky, slowly closing in on the setting Sun. From May 22nd-23rd 2008, the planet crosses the star cluster known as Praesepe (pronounced 'pree-SEE-pee') which is visible to the naked eye as a hazy patch of light (it is also known as M44 , 'The Manger' or 'The Beehive Cluster' because of its binocular resemblance to a cloud of swarming bees). The planet's furthest distance from Earth for this apparition (2.5033 AU or 374.49 million kms) is reached on October 31st 2008, when its apparent diameter is a mere 3.7 arcseconds across. By late November 2008, Mars becomes lost from view in the dusk twilight.

Mars passes behind the Sun - at superior conjunction - on December 5th 2008. The 2008-2010 apparition begins soon afterwards, which will see Mars in the constellation of Cancer when it next reaches opposition on January 29th 2010.

 [Terms in yellow italics are explained in greater detail in an associated article describing planetary movements in the night sky.]

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Finding Mars from Orion, August 2007 to April 2008

Orange-red Mars is an easy object to find in the night sky throughout the period covered by the above star map.

Northern hemisphere observers should look for well-known (and easily identifiable) constellation of Orion. Look above (i.e. to the North of) Orion for the zodiacal constellations of Taurus and Gemini, where the planet will be located.

Southern hemisphere observers should look below Orion for Taurus and Gemini, where the planet will be located.

Use the annotated photograph alongside to identify which pointer stars to use to find Mars for the period through to April 2008.

Note that in the Northern hemisphere, Orion (and all the other constellations) appear tilted to the left (measured relative to the vertical) when in the Eastern half of the sky (before transit), upright (North up, as in the photo) when it transits the meridian (i.e. crosses the due South point), and tilted to the right when in the Western half of the sky (after transit). The greatest tilt angle occurs at the point of rising and setting, the actual angle depending upon the observer's latitude; the closer the observer is situated to the Equator, the steeper the angle of rise and set will be. At the Equator itself, constellations rise and set vertically; they are tilted 90º to the left when rising and 90º to the right when setting.

In the Southern hemisphere, Orion appears inverted (South up); it is tilted to the right when in the Eastern half of the sky and tilted to the left when in the Western half of the sky.

Orion rises due East and sets due West in both hemispheres.

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 Moon near Mars Dates, August 2007 to May 2008

The Moon is easy to find, and on one or two days in each month, it passes Mars in the sky. Use the following table to determine on which date to see the Moon near the planet: