Mars Dazzles in the Evening Sky

Tonight, after sunset, gaze upwards to witness the mesmerizing sight of Mars gliding through the constellation Virgo! Currently glowing at a faint magnitude of 1.6, Mars is at its least bright for the year but fear not—this celestial beauty will soon begin its gradual ascent back to radiance. However, this comeback comes with a catch: Mars is also edging closer to the Sun from our perspective, heading towards solar conjunction early next year.

Catch Mars Before It Vanishes!

You have until mid-November to catch a glimpse of the Red Planet before it slips completely out of sight. For tonight, Mars reaches a height of 10 degrees above the horizon an hour post-sunset, making it a perfect target for stargazers!

A Celestial Pairing: Mars and Beta Virginis

Mars will make a close approach to the fourth-magnitude star Beta Virginis, lovingly dubbed Zavijava. At just 8 arcminutes southeast of Zavijava tonight, this duo creates a stunning view. The contrast between the star’s crisp white brilliance and the planet’s ruddy disk—spanning 4 inches wide—will leave stargazers in awe. Although Mars is too distant for us to discern surface details—sitting at a whopping 197 million miles (317 million km) away—Zavijava is much closer at 36 light-years!

Star Power: The Magnificence of Zavijava

According to stellar connoisseur Jim Kaler, Zavijava is a strikingly Sun-like star, boasting about 25% more mass than our own Sun. This radiant giant is nearly twice as wide and approximately 3.5 times brighter than the star that warms our world.

Don’t Miss the Celestial Event: Key Times!

Mark your calendars for the essential astronomical timings:

- **Sunrise:** 6:00 A.M.

- **Sunset:** 8:12 P.M.

- **Moonrise:** 3:06 P.M.

- **Moon Phase:** Waxing Gibbous (61%)

These times are provided in local time from 40° N 90° W, with the Moon's illumination measured at noon. Get your binoculars ready and enjoy the cosmic ballet tonight!