The moon performed a cosmic ballet with Mars this week.
On Monday evening (Jan. 13), the Full Wolf Moon passed in front of Mars in what's known as a lunar occultation, during which another celestial object appears to disappear behind the moon from our vantage point on Earth. Mars is approaching opposition on Wednesday (Jan. 15), the moment when it is situated directly opposite the sun as seen from Earth, which means it's at its brightest in our night sky right now. Additionally, Mars recently passed perigee on Jan. 12, its closest point to Earth in its orbit around the sun, which makes it slightly larger in the sky.
