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  • Writer's pictureLuke

In the eastern sky there is a bright distinctly red spot of light that comes out fairly quickly after sunset. I’m sure you’ve guessed already this is the planet Mars! This year Mars has been particularly bright red for a few reasons and is the brightest it will be for fifteen years!



The true color image of Planet Mars, shot by Rosetta in February 2007


Mars takes 2 years to go around the Sun where it takes the Earth 1 year. This means about every 3 years we catch up with mars and pass by it. When this happens it is called ‘opposition’. Opposition means an alignment of the Sun the Earth and one of the outer planets (outer planets are planets that are further from the Sun than us: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune). You can see when this happens by watching the sky at sunset, because the Sun, Earth and another planet is in alignment the planet is on the opposite side of the of the sky from the Sun. After you watch the Sun set in the west, turn around and see the planet that is in opposition rise in the east, for that night that planet will be as above the eastern horizon as the Sun is below the western horizon (the same phenomenon can be seen at full moon too, because full moon means the moon is at opposition). This will happened on December 8th 2022 for Mars. Because opposition is happening this year that means we are closer to mars then we will be for another ~3 years.



Mars will be in opposition on December 8th 2022 .

To visualize why this makes Mars so much brighter lets talk about Astronomical Units. An Astronomical Unit (AU) isn't just hyperbole but actually a defined scientific unit that is useful for talking about distances within our solar system. 1 AU is defined as the distance from the Earth to the Sun. The distance from Mars to the Sun is 1.7 AU because mars is 70% further from the Sun than Earth is. Now to help visualize this let's shrink the solar system down to something we can manage if we shrink 1 AU to equal 10m (~10 yards) saying the Earth is ~10 yards away from the Sun (Earth would be about 1mm big at this scale, about the size of a grain of sand, The Sun is 110 times the diameter of earth so it would be 110mm about the size of a grapefruit) Mars would be 1.7 AU ~ =17 yards away from the Sun at this scale (Mars is about 1/2 the diameter of Earth so it would be .5mm at this scale, a small grain of sand). So now if Mars was lined up with Earth on the same side Mars would only be 7 yards away, but if Mars was on the opposite side of the Sun Mars would be 27 yards away from Earth. Something as small as a grain of sand would be a whole lot easier to look at if it was only 7 yards (.7AU) away rather than 27 yards (2.7AU) away. That's why years like this year where we are in "opposition" with Mars and on the same side of the Sun as Mars, it becomes much brighter and easier to see in the night sky.


In a telescope or a good pair of binoculars mars appears as a red disk, where any of the red stars (there's a good red star Aldebaran just a little south of Mars and another bright red star Betelgeuse rising in the east a few hours after Mars) will still be just a point of light. If you have a good telescope you might be able to see the white ice cap. With a really good telescope and a trick called occulting where you block out the light of mars you might be able to see mars's two faint moons Phobos and Deimos. Phobos and Deimos are small and irregularly shaped leading us to think they are most likely captured asteroids.



Mars in my best telescope.


Mars has captured our imaginations a lot through the ages starting with the Sumerians who likened it's red appearance to blood and saw it as an omen of war and blood shed. the Greeks and Romans went along with this naming it after their gods of war Aries and Mars (Marmor being an alternate name) respectively.


In modern times Mars is often the site of many scifi novels, movies, and art. This is owed in part to a wealthy and influential astronomer Percival Lowell who in 1906 claimed to see canals on mars that he thought were so straight they must of been engineered. Lowell wished to find life on mars so much that he started to. This hallucination was contagious and many other astronomers picked up on the canals. the story took off and inspired two generations of scifi writers and artist (Burroughs, Bradbury, Weinbaum, to name a few) who created works that went on to be inspirations for many artists to this day (Andy Weir, Kim Stanley Robinson, David Bowie and countless more). Lowell's observation was before photography when all astronomy was done by eye which leads many to say the canals were in the eye of the beholder, literally, as the drawings Lowel produced resemble retina of the human eye. We know now that there are no canals on mars but it wasn't until the Viking and Mariner probes of the 60s and 70s that hopes of canals on mars was finally put fully to rest.



Martian canals depicted by Percival Lowell.


Even without canals Mars is still an amazing place that captivates the imagination. Valles Marineris which is a system of naturally formed canyons that reaches 4 miles deep and would stretch across mainland United States if it was on earth. If human eyes ever see Valles Marineris up close I’m sure it will be a jaw dropping sight putting the grand canyon to shame. Mars is also home to Olympus Mons an extinct volcano reaching 72,000ft making it the largest mountain in our solar system (there is a case to be made for Rheasilvia a mountain on the asteroid Vela to be bigger). With science supporting the idea of frozen carbon dioxide (dry ice) snow storms, some have thought about skiing down Olympus Mons and getting lots of air with Mars’s low gravity (about a third of the gravitational force we have on earth). Along with volcanoes and canyons mars also has many impact craters that scar its surface. Mars is home to the greatest diversity of impact crater types of any planet in the Solar System.



Olympus Mons



Hope you enjoy observing Mars this evening. If you want to see it up close in my telescope I will be holding a tours through next year.

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This weekend November 24th 2022 to November 29th 2022 we are offering discounts on our gift cards!


Get 10$ off every gift card of 80$ or more from our website!


If you buy a gift card for an astronomy tour for two by emailing Luke@AstroTours.org this weekend you pay 70$ and will get a gift card code worth 80$!


Use this as many times as you want this weekend get two gift cards of 160$ each only pay 140$ for each of them.


Learn how to buy gift cards here: https://www.astrotours.org/post/gift-cards


Offer will not work with Virgin Experience Gifts, however if it's your first time using Virgin Experience Gifts you can get 10$ off when you sign up here: https://www.virginexperiencegifts.com/colorado/boulder/out-of-this-world-astronomy-tour?q=ast and get Instant eVoucher Delivery for an Astro Tour





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We are happy to partner with Virgin Experience Gifts to provide gift astronomy experiences on their platform!


You can find AstroTour's listing here: https://www.virginexperiencegifts.com/colorado/boulder/out-of-this-world-astronomy-tour?q=ast



Colorado > Boulder > Tours & Sightseeing Experiences

Out of This World Astronomy Tour

Boulder, CO

From: $42

Item #: TOR-BOU-0002

Astronomy Tour


Astronomy Tour See the Stars in Boulder CO Colorado Astronomy Tour Boulder Astronomy Experience Telescope for Astronomy Tour


Marvel at the universe as you peer through telescopes at the starry sky on this awe-inspiring astronomy adventure!

Option & Pricing:


Buy now and choose a date & time later.

Instant eVoucher Delivery

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No Expiration Dates

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Overview


Marvel at the universe as you peer through telescopes at the starry sky on this awe-inspiring astronomy adventure!


  • Enjoy two hours of stargazing with an experienced local astronomer and guide

  • Immerse yourself in the stunning nature among the Rocky Mountains

  • Get a first-hand lesson in how to use a telescope to explore the night sky

  • Take in gorgeous views as you learn about constellations, planets, and more

  • Keep your eyes peeled for shooting stars on this incredible astronomy tour!


Full Description

Find yourself among the stars on this truly amazing Out of This World Astronomy Tour!


Your 2-hour night-time adventure begins at sunset when you meet up with your experienced astronomer and guide. As the light begins to fade, look up to the sky to spot bright early evening objects. Then as darkness takes over, listen closely as your guide shares insightful information about the area and the stars you’ll see above.


Discover fascinating insights about galaxies, planets, constellations, satellites, nebula, clusters and our infinite universe. Then step up to a telescope and learn how to use it to get the best views. Take in the beauty of the night sky and watch in awe as the stars twinkle and shine. If you’re lucky, you may even get to see a shooting star.


Feel free to ask questions and soak up as much knowledge and inspiration as you can while enjoying that indescribable feeling that comes from gazing into the heavens. Make it a night to remember with this exciting astronomy experience!


Location


Boulder, CO


Availability

When Do I Choose A Date?

If giving as a gift, your recipient can choose a date at their convenience; otherwise, you can choose one after checkout.


Year-Round:

Select Dates - Sunset


Important Details


Essential Information:


  • Telescopes are provided

  • Flashlights, camp seating, bug spray, snacks, and water are provided


Duration

This experience lasts approximately 2 hours.


Experience Provider Info

Complete information for your Experience Provider: AstroTours.org contact information: Luke@AstroTours.org, 303.324.5831 will also be included on your booking confirmation email once you or your gift recipient have scheduled the experience. Our Product Management team handpicks top-rated experience providers, removing the guesswork for you and ensuring your peace of mind.


Maximum Participants

This experience is available for up to 20 participants.


Spectators

This experience is for booked participants only.


Weather Dependent

This experience may be subject to inclement weather. Please contact your tour provider with any questions about weather.


What To Wear

Wear comfortable, weather appropriate clothing. Temperatures do drop after sunset, so brining a blanket/extra layers is a good idea.

Returns, Exchanges & Cancellations


Returns

Experience Vouchers that have not been redeemed can be returned hassle-free within 30 days. All refunds will be made to the original purchaser.


Exchanges

Experience Vouchers that have not been redeemed can be exchanged for anything else in our marketplace at any time. If you choose to exchange for an experience that costs more, you'll simply have to pay the difference. If you choose to exchange for an experience that costs less, you'll have a credit towards your next booking with Virgin Experience Gifts.

Cancellation Policy


Once you have received a booking confirmation, cancellations and rescheduling are allowed prior to the experience. Failure to appear on your booked date or to cancel and reschedule prior to your booked date will result in the loss of the value of your experience.


In the event that your tour is cancelled due to inclement weather, you will be able to reschedule directly with the experience provider.

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