The Harvest Moon will rise shortly after 7:00 pm this evening but it will not be alone. Mars will rise within one degree of the Harvest Moon. Just look eastward and you will see that beautiful sight. The two will only be one degree apart, which is about the width of a finger if you hold your hand up to the sky (see image below).
Just think…we’re heading back to the Moon and eventually on to Mars. Tonight, they seem so close but the reality of that distance is a completely different story! We are about 240,000 miles from the Moon, while we are roughly 40 million miles from Mars. Whew…that’s a lot of “are we there yet” miles! (ha) Both those distances vary a bit as we go through the year. Incidentally, by Tuesday Mars will be at its closest approach to Earth, at only 38.57 million miles. That’s a little bit better for that roadtrip, right?
You all enjoy stargazing…or should I say Moon and Mars gazing?….
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