The Moon Will Eclipse Mars – And You Can Watch It Happen
Feb 17, 2020, 11:54 AM | Updated: 12:10 pm
Occultation (Mysid / Public domain)
(Mysid / Public domain)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The moon will eclipse Mars early Tuesday morning.
Technically, it’s called an occultation. It means the moment one celestial body moves behind another from a certain perspective. And this upcoming event’s perspective is from Earth.
According to Space.com, we Earthlings will be able to witness with our naked eyes the moments Mars passes behind the moon.
More prominent examples of occultations are eclipses of the sun and the moon, but Tuesday’s Mars event can be just as fascinating.
What's happening in the night sky this month?
• Mercury is on the rise
• Mars dons a lunar disguise
• Betelgeuse has a big surprise?See what’s up for February: https://t.co/yrhmbYxuUP pic.twitter.com/fxFQXWNa5h
— NASA (@NASA) February 4, 2020
“Over the Desert Southwest and parts of the Rocky Mountain States along and east of the Continental Divide, the entire event will occur under a dark sky, but will take place very low in the east-southeast; an open view of the horizon is required,” according to Space.com.
Mars will pass behind the moon at 4:41 a.m. and reappear at 6:02 a.m.
KSL meteorologist Grant Weyman said there will be precipitation through the night, but it should begin to clear up by early Tuesday morning. Some areas in the northern end of the state could have cloudier skies as Mars disappears.
In southern Utah, though, chances of seeing the occultation will be far greater. Residents of St. George should have mostly clear skies for the entire event.
