Mars to be brightest & visible from S'pore on Jan. 16 night as it aligns with Earth

Do you have anything planned after work on Jan. 16, 2025?

If not, you can catch Mars at its brightest anywhere in Singapore when the sky turns dark, or from around 8:30pm onwards on Thursday, as long as the sky is clear.

According to the Observatory at Science Centre Singapore (SCOB), the red planet will be more visible because Earth will be lying directly between the Sun and Mars, a phenomenon also known as Mars in opposition.

During the opposition, Mars will be at its closest approach to Earth for the year and will be fully illuminated by the sun.

When & where to catch Mars?

According to the SCOB, Mars will begin rising at around 7:3opm on Jan. 16 and reach its highest point in the sky at around 1am on Jan. 17 (Singapore time).

The planet can be viewed with the naked eye, but a telescope would help further enhance some of the details on its surface.

Depending on atmospheric conditions, how clear the skies are, and your specific location, Mars may appear as a reddish star.

Those who want an unobstructed and potentially elevated view of the planet with panoramic views of the city skyline should visit open public areas, such as the Marina Barrage, East Coast Park, and the South Ridges.

Although SCOB will not hold a viewing session for the opposition, it said that Mars "should still be visible" during the public Stargazing and Digital Planetarium live show on Jan. 17 at 7:30pm, if the skies are clear.

You can purchase tickets here.

Mars next in opposition in 2027

The last time Mars was in opposition was more than two years ago, on Dec. 8, 2022.

After this week's event, the next two episodes of the astronomic event will take place on Feb. 19, 2027 and Mar. 25, 2029.

The reason why Mars in opposition happens every two years is because the planet takes that long to complete one orbit around the sun.

As Earth orbits the sun in one year, the two planets align every two years, bringing Mars closest to Earth.

Top image via Canva