The first full moon of the year, known as the Wolf Moon, will occult Mars, offering a rare celestial event visible to the naked eye.
Mars will be visible in Irish skies tonight in an extremely rare phenomenon for stargazers. The first full moon of the year, known as the Wolf Moon, will be at peak visibility this evening (Monday January 13). What makes this lunar event so unique is that the Wolf Moon will occult Mars , which is what happens when a celestial object passes directly in front of another, smaller one.
The occultation will be visible to the naked eye, meaning you will get the chance to see Mars glowing beside the moon this evening. But, as always, it depends on the weather conditions, or cloud cover may impact the view. The Wolf Moon gets its Celtic and Old English name from wolves heard howling at the Moon in wintertime decades ago, according to NASA. Tonight, this moon will move eastward as it passes in front of Mars. A few hours before or after the occultation, Mars will be visible in skies, glowing brightly beside the moon. Anyone hoping to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon is urged to look up to the skies at 7.30pm this evening, with Mars expected to be visible below and to the left of the moon. By 10.30pm, Mars and the Moon will track higher across the sky and will be visible in the southeast. By midnight, Mars will be seen to the left of the Moon as they move to the south. If you're planning to stargaze tonight, there are some tips you can follow for your best chance to see the rare event. Midnight is the optimum viewing time as the Moon is highest in the sky, and you should find a spot away from city lights for a clear view. To spot Mars, aim to block a part of the Moon's glow with a tree or building to reduce to moonlight and make it easier to see the red planet. After this evening, the next full moon of the calendar will be on February 12. This will be known as the Snow Moon
WOLFMOON MARS OCCULTATION CELESTIAL IRISHSKIES
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