A rare lunar occultation of Mars occurred on January 13, 2025, making the Red Planet visible from the continental US but not Europe. To observe this event, stargazers needed to locate the bright full Moon and identify Mars to its east. Due to lunar parallax, different locations in the US experienced the event at different times.
Lunar occultation occurs when Earth comes between the Sun and a celestial body, blocking its light from view. In this case, the shift in Mars’s position relative to the Moon was caused by their proximity to each other. This phenomenon allowed observers in the US to see Mars disappear behind the Moon, but not in Europe.
The event was best observed with binoculars, which provided a clearer view of Mars disappearing into the Moon’s light. The full Moon, known as the Wolf Moon, occurred during this time and is named after wolves that remain active during winter.
If you witnessed or photographed the event, share your experiences with the BBC Sky at Night Magazine by emailing [email protected].
Source: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news/lunar-occultation-mars-13-january-2025