Moon, Mars, Pleiades, more, on October 13 and 14

Moon, Mars, Pleiades

Now is a great time to be watching for Mars! And for everyone around the globe, the waning gibbous moon is near bright red Mars on the nights of October 13 and 14, 2022. You won’t find the moon – or Mars – in the early evening. Both will ascend over the eastern horizon later at night, but before midnight. So watch for them late at night until dawn on these next few nights. And try Stellarium for an exact view from your location.

Also, notice the delicate Pleiades star cluster near the moon on these nights. It has the shape of a tiny dipper. The Pleiades are also called the Seven Sisters. They’re a true family of stars, born together and still moving together as a family. Also nearby, you’ll find a bright red star. It’s Aldebaran, fiery eye of Taurus the Bull. Aldebaran is one of our sky’s brightest stars. But it pales in comparison to Mars now.

Mars will continue to brighten between now and December 8, when it will reach its opposition to the sun in our sky. That’s when Earth will pass between Mars and the sun, and the distance between our two worlds will be least, not just this year but for about a two-year period.

October 14 and 15 mornings: Moon near Mars and Pleiades

Bottom line: Moon, Mars, Pleiades … and Aldebaran! Look for them all, overnight on October 13-14, and on October 14-15, 2022. Notice how bright Mars is now. Notice the bright star Aldebaran is fainter!