Mars passes the Pleiades — April 1, 2019

Mars will appear close to the Pleiades star cluster on the night of April 1.

A beautiful pairing of orange-hued Mars and the Pleiades star cluster will greet viewers as soon as darkness falls on the first of the month. Both objects will dominate the western sky and will be separated by only three degrees, a gap that can be covered by your three middle fingers held at arm’s length.

If you can, definitely check out the Pleiades with binoculars or a backyard telescope. This cluster, also known as the Seven Sisters, is one of the closest to Earth at some 300 light-years away. Although it contains more than a thousand confirmed members, it gets its nickname from the seven stars that can be easily spotted with the unaided eye, even today under brightly lit city skies.

ILLUSTRATION BY A. FAZEKAS