The bright red planet Mars is low in the southern sky Friday night, and is closer to the Earth than it has been in 11 years. Mars is brilliant and glows like a saphire. Saturday night, the full moon, the Honey Moon, appears above Mars. They rise together after sunset, and can be seen as a distinct pair.

Mars is 46 million miles away, almost half the distance from the Earth as the Sun (93 million miles).

It takes Mars two years to complete its orbit around the sun, so just about every two years Mars gets really close to the Earth. This year the opposition is at the end of this month. The precise day of opposition is May 22, though Mars is actually closest to the Earth on May 30, according to astronomers. Visually there is no difference in the brightness nor the appearance of the planet for the weeks ahead.

In an opposition, the Earth is in between the sun and Mars. Thus Mars rises in the east at sunset, is due south at midnight and sets in the west at sunrise.

Mars is in the most southern zodiacal constellation Scorpius. It is near the red star Antares, which pales by comparison. Mars is also close to the fainter planet Saturn. These three celestial objects form a pleasant triangle, with Mars being on top.