Credit & Copyright: Tunç Tezel
(TWAN)
Explanation:
In this early May night skyscape,
a mountain road near Bursa, Turkey
seems to lead toward bright planets Mars and Saturn
and the center of our Milky Way Galaxy, a direction
nearly opposite the Sun in planet Earth's sky.
The brightest celestial beacon on the scene,
Mars,
reaches its opposition tonight and Saturn in early June.
Both will remain
nearly opposite the Sun,
up all night and close
to Earth for the coming weeks, so the time is right for
good
telescopic viewing.
Mars and Saturn form the tight
celestial triangle with
red giant star Antares just right of the Milky Way's central bulge.
But tonight the Moon
is also at opposition.
Easy to see near bright Mars and Saturn,
the Full Moon's light will wash out the central Milky Way's
fainter starlight though, even in dark mountain skies.
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NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Mars - Saturn
Publications with words: Mars - Saturn
See also:
- APOD: 2024 September 9 Á Mars: Moon, Craters, and Volcanos
- APOD: 2024 August 27 Á Moon Eclipses Saturn
- APOD: 2024 June 23 Á The Colors of Saturn from Cassini
- APOD: 2024 June 5 Á Shadow of a Martian Robot
- Ares 3 Landing Site: The Martian Revisited
- The Shadow of Ingenuity s Damaged Rotor Blade
- APOD: 2023 November 7 Á A Martian Dust Devil Spins By