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Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy null

Green light for views of Mars, the red planet

28 September 2020

At 21:00 on Wednesday, 14 October, the Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy (University of Amsterdam) is organising a virtual viewing evening of the opposition of Mars. On that evening, the red planet will be exactly opposite the sun as viewed from the Earth. The planet will also be high in the night sky. The next such perfect opportunity to observe it will not happen for another thirty years.

hemel.waarnemen.com, the next ‘perfect’ oppositions will not occur until 2052 and 2099.

Hubble Space Telescope.”

Mars gefotografeerd met een amateurtelescoop vanuit Amsterdam
Mars gefotografeerd vanuit Amsterdam, met een bescheiden amateurtelescoop (c) Michèl Demeij Vermeulen

In October, Mars is moving with the constellation of Pisces. The planet rises in the East in the evening, is high in the South at around midnight and sets in the West in the early morning. In the coming months, Mars will be rising increasingly earlier. Although this is good for observers, it will gradually look smaller as it moves away from us.

Livestream on Youtube

livestream on YouTube. At 21:00 on Wednesday, 14 October, three doctoral researchers will be on hand to provide commentary on the images captured by a telescope in the Anton Pannekoek Institute. The young researchers will explain all about our nearest neighbour and answer the public’s questions about the red planet. The chat function on YouTube can be used to submit questions. The ‘pre-programme’ will feature Jupiter and Saturn. In the event of poor weather, recordings made earlier will be shown.

Start of virtual stargazing season

times, further details and changes.