Mars 2020 Opposition Details

[Rob]

Already looking forward to Mars 2020 opposition. Thought I'd grab some details, height looks better than this year!. I know its not as close as 2018, but hey its Mars!.

Thought I'd also share once again a wonderful site to check observing details & data from your own location. https://in-the-sky.org/index.php

Regards Rob

[Stu]

Frustrating isn't it Rob, 61 degrees now and tiny, mind you 44 degrees next opposition is not to be sniffed at it today's planetary famine!! 🤣🤣

[Rob]

Yes indeed Stu, we take what we can.. Mind you (as always) its a waiting game for a awesome Planetary season. It does seem like such a long time ago!

I'm trying to to think back to when Saturn & Jupiter were really high up.. must have been 10/12 years ago now.

Rob

[starhopper13]

Lucky for me that all planets go quite high up where I live. I must reap all the benefit I can. 

Edited June 13, 2019 by starhopper13

[Stu]

33 minutes ago, Rob said:

I'm trying to to think back to when Saturn & Jupiter were really high up.. must have been 10/12 years ago now.

I do recall Jupiter and Saturn being close together and high in the sky when I first started being interested in astronomy, can recall exactly when that was.

[chiltonstar]

When I started in astronomy there was a very bright star in the east...........

Chris

[Nigella Bryant]

23 minutes ago, chiltonstar said:

When I started in astronomy there was a very bright star in the east...........

Chris

Settled over bethlehem I think. 

Edited June 13, 2019 by Nigella Bryant

[chiltonstar]

1 minute ago, Nigella Bryant said:

Settled over bethehem I think. 

As I was in London at the time, I assumed it was over Southend......

Chris

[Pete Presland]

Fingers crossed for no sandstorm this time! 

[Ags]

Looking forward to 2020 - Mars' size will almost be as good as 2018 and the elevation will be more than sufficient. Just hope to have a bigger scope by then!

[Space Hopper]

On 13/06/2019 at 12:57, Rob said:

I know its not as close as 2018, but hey its Mars!.

 

 

It won't be THAT MUCH further away either.

I'm looking forward to it too : we are long overdue a good planetary apparition in this country ; i'm sure we all agree on that ! 😀

[John]

Thanks for the link and the reminder Rob. I'm looking forward to seeing Mars above the local rooftops in 2020 rather than through gaps in between them !

I can vaguely remember when the planets were really high in the sky as well - got my best ever views of Saturn way back then. Celestron C8 at 250x - the planet looked a bit like the Voyager images on one memorable evening

[Space Hopper]

On 13/06/2019 at 14:51, Stu said:

I do recall Jupiter and Saturn being close together and high in the sky when I first started being interested in astronomy, can recall exactly when that was.

Probably around 2000.

Every 20 years (approx) Jupiter 'overtakes' Saturn in its orbit and gives us a nice conjunction, actually a triple conjunction.

There is one next year, but it will still be low in the sky for us in the UK

Recent, future ones were / are

1981 in Libra

2000 in Taurus

2020 Sagittarius / Aquarius

2040 Virgo

2060 Gemini

 

The 2060 conjunction promises to be very good from the UKs perspective.

Problem is i'll be 93 years old.....😩

 

[CentaurZ]

Below is my chart illustrating the positions of Mars and Earth at oppositions from 2018 to 2033.

Indeed in October 2020 Mars will again become rather close and bright, while appearing much higher than in 2018 for northern hemisphere observers. 

Edited June 22, 2019 by CentaurZ

[Stu]

Excellent chart, thank you very much for that.

[Stub Mandrel]

Thanks for the links and charts!

[Stub Mandrel]

Great photo opportunity for the early hours of 3 October 2020:

[MarsG76]

Can't wait....

 

[Space Hopper]

It'll be cloudy.......

[Ags]

13 minutes ago, Tubby Bear said:

It'll be cloudy.......

Here or on Mars?

[MarsG76]

18 hours ago, Ags said:

Here or on Mars?

BOTH... Astronomical odds are that it'll cloudy and stormy on both planets.

Edited June 24, 2019 by MarsG76