Mars Opposition 2025: Best Time to See Mars Until 2031
In mid-January 2025, Mars will reach opposition with the Sun, blazing brilliantly in the night sky. Want to spot the Red Planet with ease? Use the free stargazing apps Sky Tonight and Star Walk 2! Keep reading to uncover why the Mars opposition is a must-see.
Contents
- Mars Opposition 2025
- How to spot Mars in the sky?
- The Moon and Mars close together on January 14, 2025
- When is the next opposition of Mars?
- Mars opposition 2025: Bottom line
Mars Opposition 2025
Mars will reach opposition on January 16, 2025, at 01:17 GMT (January 15, 20:17 EST). You can find it in the constellation Gemini. The Red Planet will be positioned on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun, and the three bodies will form a nearly straight line in space.
What does this mean for you as an observer? It means that you absolutely should go and see Mars in the sky! Here are a few reasons why.
- Mars will be fully lit by the Sun and reach its maximum brightness. With a magnitude of -1.4, it will be as bright as Sirius — the brightest star in the sky!
- The Red Planet will also appear at its biggest in the sky: its angular size will equal 14.6 arcseconds, which is nearly 2.5 times bigger than the planet’s apparent size in August 2024. That’s because just recently, on January 12, Mars reached the perigee or its closest point to the Earth. Check the picture below to see how the apparent size of Mars changes from month to month.
- You’ll have plenty of time for observation: Mars will rise at sunset, reach its highest point at around midnight, and stay visible for the rest of the night.
- The opposition of Mars is a relatively rare event — it happens only every two years or so. So don’t miss it!
Note that you can start observing Mars right now without waiting for the opposition. The planet is already big and bright in the sky and will continue to brighten until January 16. Check out our infographic to learn more about the Mars opposition in a cool graphic format.
How to spot Mars in the sky?
Mars is quite easy to find and distinguish from other celestial bodies, especially at the moment of opposition. It will appear as a bright reddish dot in the constellation Gemini and will line up with the two “twin stars” Castor and Pollux. The planet will rise above the northeastern horizon at sunset and reach the highest point in the sky in the south by midnight.
During the 2025 opposition, Mars will be well visible from both hemispheres but will rise much higher in the northern latitudes. While the Red Planet can be easily spotted with the naked eye, using binoculars or a telescope will enhance your view. With a medium-sized or larger telescope, you might even catch a glimpse of Mars’ northern ice cap!
The easiest way to locate Mars in the sky is to use a stargazing app — for instance, Sky Tonight or Star Walk 2.
Find Mars in opposition using Sky Tonight
First, download Sky Tonight on your iOS or Android device.
Use the Search:
- Tap the magnifier icon at the bottom of the screen;
- In the Trending section, find the Mars opposition event;
- Tap the blue target icon to see the location of Mars in the sky at the moment of opposition.
- In the same Trending section, you can tap the blue target icon next to Mars to learn where the Red Planet is right now.
Use the Calendar:
- Tap the calendar icon at the bottom of the screen and select January 16 on the Events tab;
- Scroll down the list of events below the calendar and find the Mars opposition event;
- Tap the blue target icon to see the location of Mars in the sky at the moment of opposition.
Find Mars in opposition using Star Walk 2
First, download Star Walk 2 on your iOS or Android device.
Use the Search:
- Tap the magnifier icon at the bottom-left corner of the screen;
- Type “Mars” in the search field and tap the corresponding search result;
- The app will show you the current location of Mars in the sky.
Use the Calendar:
- Tap the menu icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen;
- Open the Astronomy Calendar;
- Find and tap the Mars opposition event on January 16;
- The app will show you the location of Mars in the sky at the moment of opposition.
The Moon and Mars close together on January 14, 2025
Two days before the Mars opposition, you’ll be able to see another celestial event — a conjunction of the Moon and Mars. The Full Moon will pass 0°13' from the Red Planet in the constellation Gemini.
Observers from North America and Africa are especially lucky as they will also have a chance to witness a lunar occultation of Mars on the same night. At the time of the occultation, the Moon will pass in front of Mars, completely covering it!
When is the next opposition of Mars?
The next Mars opposition will occur on February 19, 2027. It will be less spectacular than this year’s opposition: the Red Planet will be farther away from the Earth, so it will appear a bit dimmer (magnitude -1.2) and smaller (angular size 13.8″) in the sky.
Mars opposition 2025: Bottom line
On January 16, 2025, Mars will reach opposition and appear large and bright in our skies. Use the Sky Tonight or Star Walk 2 app to quickly find Mars in your location. The next opposition of Mars will occur only in 2027, so don’t miss this event!
