Brightest, closest Mars will shine in late July
Mars will be the brightest it's been in our night sky in the past 15 years on Tuesday, July 31, as it makes it closest approach to Earth since 2003. After reaching its opposition on Friday, July 27, the Red Planet will continue on its orbit and reach its closest point to Earth at 3:50 a.m. July 31. At its closest point this year, Mars will be 35.8 million miles from Earth and will appear more than 5 times brighter than usual. It will be the fourth-brightest object in the sky, after Venus, the moon and the sun. That will continue until August 3.
In 2003 Mars closest approach was 34.6 million miles, which is thought to have been the closest the two plants had been in about 60,000 years. NASA expects that 2003 record to hold until August 28, 2287. During the opposition in 2003, the Red Planet was only 34.6 million miles (55.8 million kilometers) from Earth. This was the closest the two planets had come to each other in almost 60,000 years, and this record won't be broken until Aug. 28, 2287, according to NASA.
When in opposition, Mars rises as the sun sets and then sets as the sun rises. That will give Mars some prominence in the night sky.
A hoax that circulated during Mars opposition in 2003 - that the planet would appear as large as the moon - likely will surface again in the next few days. Don't believe it. Even at Mars' closest point, the moon will appear 75 times larger.
https://www.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2018/07/brightest_closest_mars_will_sh.html
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