At the start of 2025, the planet Mars offers us a lovely spectacle by making its appearance in the night sky. We tell you everything about this fascinating astronomical event!
Right now, if you look up to observe the sky after dark, you will undoubtedly be lucky enough to see an unusual star with a reddish tint: the planet Mars. A true star of this winter of 2025, it offers us a fascinating spectacle every night and will be particularly brilliant on the evening of January 16. A golden opportunity for everyone to admire the famous red planet, from your garden or balcony, as long as you know where and when to look!
Currently, Mars appears at sunset around 6:30 p.m., towards the northeast. But to make the most of the event, wait about two hours after dusk: the sky will then have darkened sufficiently and the planet will have risen above the horizon. The perfect evening to admire it will be January 16 when it reaches its maximum brightness and is high in the sky. If you have trouble locating it easily among the stars, you can use a map of the celestial vault like that on the Stelvision site or a smartphone application like Sky Tonight.
The good news? You will not need any special equipment to attend the show: Mars will be perfectly visible to the naked eye. However, take care to place yourself in a place where the sky is clear so as not to be obstructed by a tree or a building and as far as possible from artificial lights. If you have an amateur telescope, don't hesitate to use it. You may be able to see details of the surface of Mars, but rest assured, this instrument will not be essential to enjoy the moment.
The red planet will remain visible until July, but it will shine exceptionally brightly this Thursday, January 16, 2025 thanks to an astronomical event that occurs every two years: its opposition. This phenomenon sees the Sun and Mars align and the Earth placed between them. Thanks to this position, the Sun illuminates the visible side of Mars from our planet, making it particularly bright in the night sky. This is therefore an astronomical meeting not to be missed, because the next one will not take place until 2027. So, look up and be amazed by the red planet!
