Mars Closest To Earth Tonight Than In Past 11 Years

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – The skies will be clear over our area tonight, giving us a great view of Mars as it makes its closest approach to Earth in over a decade.

Mars is going to make a close approach with Earth. That happens when Mars and Earth come nearest to each other in their orbits around the sun, something that happens about every 26 months. But it hasn't been this close to us in 11 years.

About 46.8 million miles from Earth on May 30, Mars is expected to be visible for much of the night.

Mars will reach its highest point in the sky around midnight, about 35 degrees above the southern horizon. The planet will then become fainter with each passing day until mid-June.

The next close approach of Mars will be on July 31, 2018.

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