Buzz
On Tuesday, February 18, the Moon will drift directly in front of Mars, completely hiding it from view.
Lunar occultations are a common occurrence—the Moon covers Mars about five times this year according to Sky & Telescope—but we don’t always have the chance to see it from Earth. However, next week, people in North America will be able to witness this phenomenon firsthand. The Moon’s orbit will place it between Earth and Mars, causing it to 'consume' the Red Planet over a span of 14 seconds. Mars will remain hidden for nearly 90 minutes before reappearing.
Depending on your location, you may need to set your alarm a bit earlier than usual to catch this celestial show. In general, those on the eastern side of the country will see Mars disappear later. For instance, in Phoenix, it will happen at 4:37:27 a.m., in Chicago at 6:07:10 a.m., and in New York, the Moon will swallow Mars at 7:36:37 a.m., possibly while you're already awake.
If you tend to hit the snooze button, you can skip the disappearing act (known as immersion) and wait for Mars to emerge on the other side of the Moon (called emersion). Emersion times also depend on your location, but they typically occur about an hour and a half later than the immersion. You can find the exact times for cities nationwide here [PDF].
Since it only takes 14 seconds for Mars to vanish (or reappear), timing is key—and so is having the right optical equipment. Mars won’t be visible to the naked eye, so Sky & Telescope suggests using binoculars or a telescope to get a clear view of the event.
Planning an early-morning viewing party on Tuesday? Here are 10 fascinating facts about Mars to impress your guests with.
