WNC Star Party to Brighten with Mars Opposition on July 28
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Fri, 07/13/2018 - 1:57pm
Event Date:
July 28, 2018 (All day)
Western Nevada College’s Star Party on Saturday, July 28 is going to brighten your day and provide an opportunity to see something out of the ordinary.
A Mars opposition on that evening will allow visitors to Jack C. Davis Observatory to view the Red Planet much brighter than usual. This occurs when Mars and the Sun line up on opposite sides of the Earth.
“Officially, the opposition happens July 31, but between July 27 and July 30 we'll have the best viewing,” said Thomas Herring, Jack C. Davis Observatory director."
The 2018 opposition is also special since it is a perihelic opposition. This means that Mars is at its perihelion, the part of its orbit where it is closest to the Sun, and also at opposition. This will result in Mars outshining Jupiter for a few weeks before and after opposition.”
The Red Planet will orbit closer to the Earth than it has in 15 years. As long as the skies are clear, viewers will see a much brighter Mars, even though the Red Planet will be nearly 36 million miles away.
Mars became noticeably brighter starting on July 7 and will remain bright through Sept. 7. Interestingly, it will become brighter in the sky than all except the Sun, Moon and Venus.
WNC’s star parties normally run from sundown to 11 p.m. Star Parties are led by the Western Nevada Astronomical Society, which brings together people with an interest in astronomy.
Herring will lecture about Mars and the upcoming opposition on Saturday, July 14 at 7:30 p.m. during the weekly Star Party at the observatory.
Jack C. Davis Observatory is located at 2699 Van Patten Drive in Carson City.
