MSN

1/16/25

Many people grow up dreaming of becoming astronauts, imagining themselves soaring through space, among the stars, where adventure and mystery await at every turn. It’s a job that promises a life full of discovery, exploring distant planets and witnessing the endless beauty of the universe.

However, only a small number of people ever actually get to experience that incredible journey as adults. Thankfully, the magic isn’t limited to those who make it to space—those of us here on Earth are still fortunate enough to catch glimpses of these far-off worlds, all thanks to the wonder of stargazing. And we’re about to witness Mars reaching opposition in 2025.

Even though we can’t hop into a rocket and fly into the galaxy, luckily there are moments when the planets seem to reach out to us, lighting up the night with their gentle glow. This month, you may have noticed that Mars, in particular, has been steadily getting brighter and brighter, adding a special glisten to the starry canvas above us.

Keep reading to discover how you can catch a glimpse of this red wonder at its biggest and brightest point this year thanks to Mars reaching opposition. You can learn which night it will take place, why its appearance this month is so special, how bright it will shine—and more details you won’t want to miss, below!

‘Mars at Opposition’ 2025: What It Means

Mark your calendars, because this magical nighttime event will occur the evening of January 16, according to numerous reputable sources, including NASA, Space.com, EarthSky.org and LiveScience.com. If you’ve been hearing about it a lot lately and are unsure what it means, it’s simpler to understand than it sounds.

It’s a term used by astronomers to describe when Earth, Mars and the Sun align. When this happens, Earth sits directly between Mars and the Sun, positioning the red planet directly opposite of the Sun in the sky. Because of this, Mars will look grander and more vivid than usual, making it a great time to view the planet.

How To View Mars in January 2025

If you love astronomy, this is the best time to observe Mars with a naked eye or through a telescope! It will be visible in the constellation Gemini and will appear in the eastern part of the sky as night falls shortly after sunset (around 3:00 UTC per EarthSky.org, AKA 10 p.m. EST) and then be in the southwestern part of the sky come dawn. To observe it, you don’t need to be in any specific location, you just need to be in an area with no cloud cover.

However, if for some reason you aren’t able to get outside on January 16 to witness Mars at opposition, that doesn’t mean you’re completely out of luck. While the peak time to see the planet occurs on that specific date, Mars will be visible in the evening sky (just not as big and bright) until November when sources like Space.com and the Alpo Astronomy organization reveal “it will become lost in the glare of the sun” until the next opposition.

Viewing Mars with the Naked Eye

The good news is, you don’t have to have a telescope to enjoy Mars at opposition! Just look up into the sky after sunset, and Mars will be there. It will be hard to miss!

Viewing Mars with Binoculars or a Telescope

For those with binoculars or a telescope, you’ll be able to get a better view. A small telescope will reveal Mars’ disk-like shape, while a more powerful one may allow you to spot some of its geological features.

What Can Be Seen?

If you happen to have a good telescope of at least 200x magnification, you can get a closer view of some of the red planet’s most extraordinary features. Some of those being the southern polar ice cap of Mars, as well as the canyon systems of Valles Marineris and Olympus Mons, which happens to be the solar system’s largest volcano. As if that isn’t cool enough, you can also see 100% of Mars’ disk lit up by the sun that night—AKA the entire face of Mars will be visible.

How Can You Tell if You’re Looking at Mars?

If you’re interested in seeing Mars, but aren’t a seasoned stargazer, don’t feel discouraged. Spotting Mars at opposition is easier than you might think because the planet will stand out due to its color and radiance. Instead of appearing a whitish yellow shade like the stars, it will be a bright reddish point of light.

Also, NASA notes that unlike stars that twinkle and sparkle when it’s dark out, planets, like Mars, do not flicker. Instead, they appear as steady beams and glow brighter.

How Bright Is Mars at Opposition?

What makes this January moment special is that it means Mars will get the sun’s full glare, which will illuminate its appearance when people see the planet from Earth. While astronomers say it’s not a “perihelic opposition,” which happens every 15-17 years and only occurs when Mars is at its closest to Earth while also reaching the closest point to the sun, it won’t be dim by any means. In fact, it will look larger and brighter than it has been at any point since 2022, making it a wow-worthy sight to witness in the eastern sky.

The Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers reports that you can expect it to be around 14.6 arcseconds in size and shine at a magnitude of -1.4, meaning it will outshine every star. (In astronomy, lower magnitudes equal a brighter object.)

How Often Is Mars in Opposition?

If you’re unfamiliar with how often Mars is in opposition, it’s not something that occurs annually. However, it is something that is timely. It happens every couple of years, or to be more specific, approximately every 26 months, AKA two years and two months, NASA confirms.

When Was the Last Time Mars Reached Opposition?

The last time Mars reached opposition toward the end of the year two years ago on December 8, 2022.

When Will Mars Reach Opposition Next?

If you aren’t able to catch the opposition this year, or you love astronomy and want to know in advance when you’ll have the chance to see Mars reach its next opposition, you’ll have to wait a little while. Why? The next opposition is set to occur in mid-February, just after Valentine’s Day, on Friday, February 19, 2027.