Early in the morning on November 15, Mars and Jupiter will appear unusually close to each other in the sky. The two planets will be separated by approximately 1.2 degrees – slightly more than two visible lunar diameters – and will be observable without special equipment in clear weather.
The best time for observation will be around 5:30 a.m., when the planets will be high above the southern horizon. With an unobstructed view of the southern sky, the phenomenon can even be followed from a south-facing window. Observations will be possible until dawn, before the sky begins to brighten.
Jupiter will be the brighter of the two objects, with an apparent magnitude of around -2.1 and a whitish color. Mars will appear fainter, with a brightness of around 0.7 and a distinctive orange-red hue. The two planets will be in the area of the constellation Leo, near Regulus – its brightest star.
The astronomical magazine Astronomy notes that on November 15, Mars will be about 1.2 degrees north of Jupiter. The US publication Space also recommends observing during the hours before sunrise, when the two planets will share the same field of view through binoculars.
With binoculars, the two planets will be observable simultaneously in the same field of view. A telescope will reveal Jupiter’s cloud bands and, under suitable conditions – the Great Red Spot on its disk. The planet’s four largest moons can be sought nearby: Io, Europa, Callisto and Ganymede.
If the sky is cloudy on November 15, the observation can also be made the following morning. On November 16, Mars and Jupiter will again appear about 1.2 degrees apart before gradually beginning to move visibly farther away from each other in the sky.
Sources: bgnes.bg, space.com, astronomy.com