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The first full Moon of the year shines while escorted by a bright, reddish celestial companion. Mars seems to be playing hide and seek with January\u2019s full Moon, also known as the Wolf Moon.<\/p>\n
This composite image of Mars passing behind the Moon was captured from the Observatorio del Teide in Tenerife, Spain, on 14 January.<\/p>\n
When Earth passes directly between the Sun and Mars, the Red Planet blazes at its brightest. Astronomers call this celestial alignment \u2018Mars at opposition\u2019 because the Sun and Mars appear on opposite sides in our sky.<\/p>\n
During the orbital dance, Mars bathes in the maximum amount of sunlight and doubles its brightness. The full glare of our star illuminates the Red Planet, offering clearer views of its main features to lucky skygazers in some parts of Earth.<\/p>\n
This alignment of Mars, Earth and the Sun happens every 789 days, or just over two years. At this point, the two planets are at their closest, currently separated by 96 million km.<\/p>\n
Spacecraft travelling to Mars can get there fastest by leaving Earth just before Mars reaches opposition. However, there are other considerations when planning missions to our planetary neighbour.<\/p>\n
In 2028, the European Space Agency will embark on its most ambitious exploration venture to find signs of life on Mars \u2014 the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission. At its heart is an autonomous European rover designed to drill deeper than any previous mission, up to two metres beneath the surface.<\/p>\n
ExoMars\u2019s two possible launch windows will be in September and December 2028, followed by a two-year journey to Mars. While the spacecraft won\u2019t take the fastest route, the timing is crucial for the rover\u2019s science mission and survival on the Red Planet.<\/p>\n
The Rosalind Franklin rover needs to complete its primary operations before Mars’s global dust storms begin. Avoiding dark seasons during autumn and winter in Mars\u2019s northern hemisphere will help the rover to produce more power, work more hours and perform more science.<\/p>\n
You can explore the two approach strategies for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission with this infographic about the journey to Mars.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n