GUWAHATI: On 6th October, 2020 planet Mars came closest to Earth, merely 62 million kilometres apart. But on 13th October, the Red Planet will be at its maximum apparent size and will be at its brightest this month.
If sky-gazers miss this opportunity, they will have to wait till 2035 to witness such an event again.
Mars will be the brightest as it will be at the opposition, meaning that the planet will be directly opposite to the Sun, with planet Earth right in the middle of the two.
This year, the opposition will be unique as Mars will also be closest to the Sun in its orbit, called the perihelion.
Babul Bora, curator of Guwahati Planetarium informed G Plus that Mars comes closest to Earth every two and a half year.
Sky gazers in the Northern Hemisphere will be able to catch glimpses of the bright Red Planet the best.
In Guwahati, it can be seen right after sunset on 13th October, and will be at its brightest at 12 am, informed Bora.
"Mars is easily visible in the eastern sky these days as it was the closest to Earth on 6th October. On 13th October, Guwahati Planetarium will also be hosting about an hour-long program for interested people to see the planet," added Babul Bora.