This story originally appeared on WIRED in Spanish and was translated from Spanish.
August brought many spectacular sights in the night sky: a supermoon, meteor showers and supercharged aurora borealis. Mars and Jupiter also currently appear unusually close to each other in the night sky, in what is known as a conjunction. They appeared closest in the early morning hours of August 14 and are now gradually moving away, and they won’t be this close in the sky again until 2033.
But while they are still close, a third protagonist, the moon, will join them later this month—on August 27—forming a scarce triple conjunction of three bodies close together. The moon will be in a crescent phase, and according to the constellation tracker Star Walkwill be illuminated by 40 percent. This reduction in brightness will make it possible to see the red dot of Mars and the larger star Jupiter next to it.
You don’t need telescopes or binoculars to enjoy the conjunction, although it’s significant to be away from featherlight pollution. Experienced astronomy photographers recommend getting to a high spot to see the phenomenon, such as a mountain or the roof of a house — but if you do, make sure you’re well-sheltered and protected from the frosty.
NASA indicates that a triangle between the moon, Mars, and Jupiter will be noticeable in the west, an hour before sunrise. If observers operate advanced instruments, they will also be able to see the red giants Aldebaran above the triangle and Betelgeuse below in the northern hemisphere.
Distinguishing planets and stars
Although they may look similar in the sky, planets and stars do not behave in the same way. Stars maintain a fixed position that changes only with the season. Planets, on the other hand, move throughout the night along a line known as the ecliptic. In addition, stars twinkle, or appear to change brightness, while planets maintain a constant brightness.
Only five planets can be seen with the naked eye from Earth: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury. Each body appears regularly in the sky, but because they move at different speeds and their distance from Earth varies, they behave in unique ways at night. For example, Mercury and Venus can only be seen at dusk or dawn, while Mars or Jupiter shine all night long.