This month, Mars will shine brighter than at any time since December 2022 as it reaches a point astronomers call "opposition." That means skywatchers will have the best views of the Red Planet — both with the naked eye and through binoculars and telescopes — until 2027.
As an added bonus, on Monday (Jan. 13), the full moon will butt in front of bright Mars in a rare lunar occultation, offering spectators the exquisite view of the Red Planet appearing to set and rise from behind the moon.
