Red opposition shines brightest, Mars phenomenon December 8, 2022

PROHABA.CO – There is a celestial phenomenon Mars Opposition today, Thursday December 8, 2022.

What is Mars Opposition? Quoted by the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (LAPAN) website, the astronomical phenomenon of Mars opposition is a configuration when the Sun-Earth-Mars are in a straight line.

Mars is on the opposite side of the Sun, so it’s known as “the opposition.”

The rays of the red planet are brighter than usual

BRIN Space Research Center researcher Andi Pangerang explained that with this configuration the Red Planet, nicknamed Mars, will be closer to Earth.

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“Therefore, Mars will look brighter than on other nights, even though it won’t be as big and bright moon Purnama,” said Andi Prince,

This is because the entire Earth-facing surface of Mars is exposed to sunlight.

This phenomenon occurs on average once every 25.6 months (2.13 years).

“Last oppositions from Mars occurred on July 27, 2018 and August 23, 2020,” he said.

When does Mars opposition occur?

Also from LAPAN, the Mars Opposition 2022 phenomenon occurs on December 8 at 12.35 WIB / 13.35 WITA / 14.35 WIT.

Mars will be visible in Indonesia from the northeast around sunset.

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Then, Mars culminates in the north with an altitude between 54.3 degrees at Rote Ndao and 70.9 degrees at Sabang City.

“During this opposition, the distance of Mars from Earth is 82.2 million kilometers, with a luminosity of -1.87 or 1.5 times as luminous as (star) Sirius,” Andi explained.