Watch Mars be eclipsed by the moon tonight in free webcast - Space.com

Update for Dec. 7: The archetypal of respective webcasts of Mars astatine absorption volition statesman tonight, Dec. 7, astatine 9 p.m. EST (0200 Dec. 8 GMT) and you tin ticker it unrecorded above. The livestream volition amusement views of Mars and the satellite from the Griffith Observatory successful Los Angeles.

This week offers aggregate opportunities to get a large look astatine the Red Planet.

On Wednesday (Dec. 7), the afloat satellite volition beryllium successful adjacent proximity to a agleam Mars during an lawsuit known arsenic a lunar occultation. And connected Thursday (Dec. 8), Mars volition beryllium astatine opposition, meaning that successful Earth's skies, it volition beryllium recovered straight other the sun. These events besides hap to coincide with Mars being adjacent to perigee (its closest constituent to Earth), which occurred connected Nov. 30. 

The cleanable tempest of astronomical events means that this is simply a fantastic week to ticker Mars successful the nighttime sky, appearing larger and brighter than accustomed and making itself casual to spot adjacent to a full Cold Moon. And adjacent if you person cloudy skies oregon can't marque it outside, you're inactive successful luck: There are plentifulness of opportunities to spot Mars astatine its champion this week acknowledgment to respective escaped online livestreams.

Related: Mars astatine absorption volition conscionable up with the afloat satellite adjacent week (Dec. 7). Here's however to spot it

Read more: December afloat satellite 2022: The Cold Moon occults Mars

How to spot Mars successful idiosyncratic this week

For galore parts of North America, Europe and immoderate parts of North Africa, the lunar occultation volition beryllium disposable successful the nighttime entity connected Dec. 7 and Dec. 8. 

The spectacle begins astir an hr aft sunset successful the Taurus constellation connected Dec. 7 for North American skywatchers arsenic the afloat satellite and Mars determination adjacent unneurotic (in Europe, the lawsuit volition hap conscionable earlier sunrise connected Dec. 8). Depending connected one's location, the Red Planet volition past vanish down the satellite earlier reappearing an hr later.

Sky and Telescope has enactment unneurotic a usher connected when and wherever you tin spot Mars (opens successful caller tab)disappear down the satellite this week during lunar occultation.

Griffith Observatory livestream of the lunar occultation of Mars

On Wednesday (Dec. 7), the Griffith Observatory successful Los Angeles, California volition big a free online livestream (opens successful caller tab) of the lunar occultation of Mars. The broadcast volition statesman astatine 9 p.m. EST (0200 GMT connected Dec. 8), upwind permitting. Mars volition vanish down the satellite astatine 9:31 p.m. EST (0231 GMT) and reappear 1 hr later. 

The observatory volition besides upload a time-lapse signaling of the lawsuit connected Thursday (Dec. 8) astatine 11 a.m. EST (1600 GMT).

McDonald Observatory livestream of Mars astatine opposition

The McDonald Observatory astatine the University of Texas astatine Austin, successful conjunction with the Lowell Observatory successful Arizona, volition big a livestream of Mars astatine opposition. The broadcast begins connected Thursday (Dec. 8) at 9 p.m. EST (0200 GMT connected Dec. 9) and tin beryllium recovered connected the McDonald Observatory's YouTube channel (opens successful caller tab).

Hosts from some observatories volition supply commentary during the lawsuit that volition see discussions of Martian geology and past arsenic good arsenic spaceflight missions to the Red Planet. If upwind permits, the livestream volition see unrecorded views of Mars astatine absorption from telescopes astatine some observatory sites.

The Virtual Telescope Project livestream of the satellite occulting Mars astatine opposition

The Virtual Telescope Project (opens successful caller tab) volition big a escaped livestream of the satellite occulting Mars astatine opposition. The broadcast volition statesman astatine 10 p.m. EST connected Thursday (0300 GMT connected Dec. 9) and tin beryllium recovered connected the project's YouTube channel (opens successful caller tab).

What does it mean erstwhile Mars is astatine opposition?

When astronomers accidental that a satellite is astatine opposition, it means that the planet, Earth, and the prima are each successful a consecutive line, with Earth successful the middle. This statement means that the satellite is virtually opposite the sun, hence the word "opposition," making the satellite look brightly lit from our vantage constituent connected Earth.

When the Red Planet is successful opposition, it is overmuch brighter than accustomed and truthful overmuch easier to spot successful the nighttime sky. This lawsuit lone happens each 26 months, and the planet's elliptical orbit means during immoderate oppositions Mars is person to Earth than others. 

During this week's opposition, Mars volition beryllium person to Earth than it volition beryllium until 2033. The Royal Astronomical Society has enactment unneurotic a great explainer (opens successful caller tab) connected the event, including the video below.

What is simply a lunar occultation of Mars?

The connection "occult" means to conceal oregon fell from view; erstwhile astronomers notation to an occultation, they mean an lawsuit successful which 1 celestial entity passes successful beforehand of different from an observer's perspective, hiding the entity down it. In the lawsuit of this week's lunar occultation of Mars, it means that from Earth, the satellite volition look to conceal oregon "cover up" the Red Planet. For galore viewers, Mars volition vanish down the satellite for astir an hr earlier reemerging into view. 

There are capable occultations passim immoderate fixed twelvemonth that determination is an International Occultation Timing Association (opens successful caller tab) which provides elaborate accusation specified arsenic nonstop locations and times of different occultations.

The Griffith Observatory has published a video explainer (opens successful caller tab) of the event, recovered below.

Read more: What is an occultation?

Whether you're caller to skywatching oregon person been it astatine for years, beryllium definite not to miss our guides for the best binoculars and the best telescopes to presumption the occultation of Mars and different unthinkable things successful the nighttime sky. For capturing the champion Mars oregon satellite pictures you can, cheque retired our recommendations for the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography. 

Editor's Note: If you drawback a large photograph of either Mars astatine absorption oregon the lunar occultation and would similar to stock it with Space.com's readers, nonstop your photo(s), comments, and your sanction and determination to spacephotos@space.com.