This story was originally Cast WIRED Spanish version Translated from Spanish.
August has brought many amazing sights to the night sky, including a supermoon, meteor showers, and some super powerful auroras. Mars and Jupiter are also currently appearing unusually close together in the night sky, a phenomenon known as conjunction. They appeared closest in the early morning hours of August 14, but are now gradually moving apart and won’t be this close in the sky again until 2033.
But while it’s still close, a third main star will join in at the end of the month on August 27, creating a rare triple conjunction of three celestial bodies. The Moon will be in its crescent phase and will be 40 percent illuminated, according to star tracking app Star Walk. Its reduced brightness will allow you to see the red dot of Mars and its larger neighbor, Jupiter.
You don’t need a telescope or binoculars to observe the conjunction, but it’s essential to be in an area free of light pollution. Experienced photographers recommend going to a high place, such as a mountain or the roof of a house, to observe the phenomenon, but if you do, make sure you have enough shelter to protect you from the cold.
NASA predicts that the triangle between the Moon, Mars and Jupiter will be visible in the west an hour before sunrise. Those using advanced observation equipment in the Northern Hemisphere will also be able to see the red giant star Aldebaran, which lies above the triangle, and Betelgeuse, which lies below the triangle.
Distinguishing between planets and stars
Although planets and stars appear similar in the sky, they move differently: stars maintain fixed positions and only change with the seasons, while planets move throughout the night along lines called the ecliptic. Additionally, stars appear to twinkle and change brightness, while planets maintain a constant brightness.
Only five planets are visible from Earth with the naked eye: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus and Mercury. Although each celestial body appears regularly in the sky, they move at different speeds and are at different distances from Earth, which causes them to behave differently at night. For example, Mercury and Venus are only visible at dusk or dawn, while Mars and Jupiter shine all night long.
