JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On Monday night, Jacksonville’s night sky will host a celestial ballet as the first full moon of the year glides in front of a fiery red Mars, creating a stunning lunar occultation.
This cosmic event is like a solar eclipse except the moon temporarily hides a distant celestial body from view.
In this case, the lunar occultation of Mars means the Red Planet will seem to disappear behind the Moon, before reappearing on the other side.
In the greater Jacksonville area, you can watch the lunar occultation of Mars begin at 10:02 pm.
The event will unfold over the course of an hour, and using binoculars or a telescope will enhance this astronomical experience.
Unfortunately, clouds will linger tonight before clearing out toward sunrise. Skies will begin to clear from northwest to southeast. Georgia residents will have a better opportunity with clouds clearing sooner than areas to the south.
But if the the clouds become a let down, there is another celestial spectacle to spot the next few nights.
Comet ATLAS (C/2024 G3) is making its approach toward the sun, reaching its closest point, or perihelion, on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, at a distance of 87,236,439 miles.
This will be the closest it gets to the sun before it zooms out of our solar system never to be seen for millennia.
Although its proximity to the sun makes it a challenge to spot in northern skies, keen observers might catch a glimpse of it low on the eastern horizon about a half hour before dawn or near the western horizon at dusk.