As per the reports in Earthsky in October 2020, Mars would be closer to Earth in October 2020 than it will be in the coming 15 years but would become fainter as Mars and Earth travelled farther away from each other in their orbits around the Sun. After this event in October, such close proximity between the two planets Mars and Earth will not be witnessed in the next 15 years or until September 2035. The planet was visible for much of the night in the southern sky and at its highest point at about midnight. As per the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), this time Mars’ orbit remained ‘at about 62.07 million kilometres from our planet’. October is a great time for viewing Mars. The period of excellent visibility coincides with the event known as opposition, when Mars is directly on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun, and this phenomenon occurs about every two years. So, the next Mars’ Close Approach is expected in December 2022, when the red planet will be only 62.07 million kilometres from Earth.
The last time Mars was close to Earth was in in 2018. However, the two planets made a historic approach on August 27, 2003, when Mars came closer to Earth, at about 55,758,006 km from centre to centre, which was the nearest the two planets came in almost 60,000 years according to NASA.
The minimum distance from Earth to Mars is about 54.6 million kilometres. Whenever Mars and Earth come close to each other, Mars appears quite bright in our sky and it can be seen easily with telescopes or even naked eye. NASA’s next mission to Mars, known as Mars Sample Return, slated to be in December 2020, during which the distance between Earth and Mars will be similar as in this event, i.e., 62.07 million kilometres. It will be aimed at bringing samples of Mars rocks and soil back to Earth, where they can be studied in detail.
Courtesy: India Today, spaceplace.nasa.gov