Mars is waiting in the wings, ready to put on a magnificent show during the coming months of good-weather stargazing.
Opposition is the point in a planet's orbit when it appears opposite the sun in our sky.
During the month of April, Mars' brightness will roughly double as it swings closer and closer to Earth. Its apparent size will increase as well, meaning that we can begin to watch for changing surface details on Mars through telescopes. Mars appears to rise in the southeastern sky, just after midnight. You'll see its distinctive orange glow between the constellations Sagittarius and Scorpius. Or course, Mars shines by reflected sunlight.