This Week’s Night Sky: See Mars and Jupiter Compete
The red planet and giant Jupiter will present prime viewing, while the bright star Arcturus hangs high in the north.
During this time, look for Mars rising in the east soon after local sunset and travelling across the southern sky during most of the overnight hours, setting in the west before sunrise. By around 1 a.m. local time, the planet will reach its highest point in the southern sky, positioned within the constellation Scorpius.
Mars will appear to have a weaker twin nearby, the orange-hued star Antares. Located 600 light-years from Earth, this red supergiant is 700 times wider than our sun and may explode as a supernova anytime within the next few million years.
For observers in temperate northern latitudes, the planet will set by 2 a.m. local time in the west. Don’t forget to train your binoculars on Jupiter
