Sunrise Sunset

Fri., Jan. 22 7:02 4:44

Sat., Jan. 23 7:01 4:45

Sun., Jan. 24 7:01 4:46

Mon., Jan. 25 7:00 4:48

Tues., Jan. 26 6:59 4:49

Wed., Jan. 27 6:58 4:50

Thurs., Jan. 28 6:57 4:51

Fri., Jan. 29 6:57 4:53

The planet Mars is close on Tuesday, the closest it has been in two years. You’ll have no trouble finding it when it rises in the east shortly after sunset, for it is the brightest of “stars” in the eastern sky. Mars appears high in the east at 10 p.m. and almost overhead at midnight. Mars is in the zodiacal constellation Cancer.

The distinctly red planet is 61.8 million miles away. Mars won’t be this close again for another two years. However don’t get too excited — the planet looks the same whether you see it tonight, next week or later in February.

Amateur astronomers with powerful telescopes won’t be able tell the difference from one week to the next. They’ll be using the time however to study the planet, looking for dust storms or any visible change.

Mars is 4,222 miles in diameter, smaller than the Earth, which is 7,926 miles in diameter. A day on Mars is slightly longer than a day on the earth (24 hours and 37 minutes).

A magical planet, Mars is the only other planet suspected of supporting life. A century ago astronomers thought the planet was covered with canals.

Modern day telescopes have changed what we think of the planet’s surface but it hasn’t dampened the amateur’s enthusiasm for getting a sight of the planet when it is close.

M.A.L.