Not since the Neanderthals gazed skyward some73000 years ago has Mars be as close to Earth as it will be this summer. This is a chance for some naked-eye viewing of our planetary neighbour that will be unmatched in our lifetimes.
From Vancouver, to get the very very best viewing here are some tips:
I have punched up all the relivant coordinates on the computer. This is what the software package "Starry Night" predicts the event will look like from Vancouver:
Obviously, this graphic will be doing those that know what Aquarius and Capricornus look like a bit more good than the rest of us. Even so, we still can all tell that "Mars is in Aquarius" from this diagram. So then the question now becomes: how do we find Aquarius in the night sky?
Around 12:30ish anytime in August, look southeast and really high in the sky. You will see four rather bright stars that make a perfect square. The square is fairly large, larger than Aquarius, and will be tilted to the side. This square is the constallation Pegasus.
Now look down and to the right of Pegasus. The brightest "star" down there will be Mars. If you are really lynx-eyed, you might even be able to see a set of stars above mars that are near one-another and form a bit of a "squiggle" (Yes, I am reaching here). This is the salient feature of aquarius.
When you first find Mars, you might not be immediately struck by its redness. Try moving your eyes between mars and any random bright star in the sky. Trust me, the difference will then become stunning.
Cheers,
~James Haslam