Mars Opposes Sun while Full Moon Occults Mars - 2022 DEC 07-08

[CentaurZ]

Mars will reach opposition from the Sun during the night of December 07-08. At the same time, it will be occulted (covered) by the Full Moon for observers in portions of North America and Europe.

Photos and descriptions of Mars during its current apparition would be welcome additions to this thread. If you would like specific occultation or graze predictions for your location, please reply to this post with your longitude, latitude, elevation and time zone.

 

Below are 2 charts with data for observers in both Chicagoland and London.

 

Chicagoland data:

 

London data:

Edited September 21, 2022 by CentaurZ

[CentaurZ]

And here are 2 occultation graze maps for North America and Europe.

Edited November 26, 2022 by CentaurZ

[Stu]

Thank you, I wasn’t aware of this event. It’s at 5am for me so if skies are clear I will have an early one!

[CentaurZ]

On 26/11/2022 at 14:43, Stu said:

Thank you, I wasn’t aware of this event. It’s at 5am for me so if skies are clear I will have an early one!

You're welcome, Stu. The opposition and occultation will occur tomorrow night for much of North America and Europe. Unfortonately, no occultation for me and my neighbors here in Florida.  Hopefully those of you in the occultation zone will provide photos, preferably in my similar threads for Observing - Planetary or Lunar.

Edited December 6, 2022 by CentaurZ

[PrairieStarGazer]

Is there anyone on here that might get to see a partial occultation along the graze line? Now, *that* would be quite a sight I'd imagine!

[Stu]

Just got the FS60 with me tonight as I’m away at my parents. Only chucked it in at the last minute so I’m lucky to have anything.

I was looking at Mars with the CQ module fitted on the 3mm setting of the Nag Zoom ie x200 and the disk was pretty sharp and some retail visible. Then I removed the CQ module and popped the 24mm Pan in giving a 4.6 degree field and can now fit both in the same field as they are 3.4 degrees apart. Not the best view as the Moon looks like an egg with a bit of lateral CA in the Panoptic! 🤪

[RT65CB-SWL]

Nice naked eye visual conjunction of Mars and the Moon this morning prior to the occultation. I forgot it was today. Noticed it after I parked my car in one of the LHR staff car parks.

Edited December 8, 2022 by Philip R

[PrairieStarGazer]

Saw both events with binoculars. The disappearance was slightly clouded over but visible, the reappearance was much better.

[VNA]

Hello, it was incredibly impressive, what a sight, was able to see the moon disappearing and re-emerged an hour later.
The contrast of the two colors, and the speed of the motion was so obvious.
A sight out of this world, it gave such a sense of space.
Hopefully someone will post an image.

 

[Captain Scarlet]

Just disappeared for me this minute. Omg incredible. Best I’ve ever seen mars too! One hour to re-appearance.

Magnus

Edited December 8, 2022 by Captain Scarlet

[Littleguy80]

Thick cloud when the alarm went off and then the skies cleared about 10 mins before Mars was due to disappear. Loved it! Took a bunch of photos. Quick edit below while I wait for Mats to reappear

Edited December 8, 2022 by Littleguy80

[IB20]

Too early for me to catch this and couldn’t risk waking the toddler! Glad lots of people got to enjoy it though and there are plenty of fantastic images knocking about. 

Hopefully it’s clear New Year’s night for another lunar occultation of Uranus, at a more civilised time of 10-11pm too! 😄

[Mandy D]

Here is my photo of first contact between Mars and the Moon.

[Mart29]

1 hour ago, Mandy D said:

Here is my photo of first contact between Mars and the Moon.

Love that Mandy! Awesome photo. Sadly , I got up to late 😅

[geoflewis]

12 hours ago, Littleguy80 said:

Thick cloud when the alarm went off and then the skies cleared about 10 mins before Mars was due to disappear. Loved it! Took a bunch of photos. Quick edit below while I wait for Mats to reappear

That's excellent Neil, I had similar cloud troubles a bit further west than you, but they did clear away for me in the last few minutes before the occultation started, then back again just as Mars disappeared behind the Moon.

[geoflewis]

1 hour ago, Mandy D said:

Here is my photo of first contact between Mars and the Moon.

That's a lovely image Mandy

[Mandy D]

3 hours ago, Mart29 said:

Love that Mandy! Awesome photo. Sadly , I got up to late 😅

Awww, that's a shame, you missed a real treat. Hopefully you will get to see the Uranus one in the new year.

[Mart29]

21 hours ago, Mandy D said:

Awww, that's a shame, you missed a real treat. Hopefully you will get to see the Uranus one in the new year.

Definitely weather permitted.  URANUS is my favourite