Planets TonightMars in 2017: brightness, position and events
Brightest+0.9around Jan 1
Closest (in table)1.641 au245 million km
Farthest2.658 au
Events this year1
Brightest last year-2.0
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-07-27 09:56 | Conjunction with the Sun | +1.6 | 2.655 | Cancer | 1.1° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +0.9 | 1.641 | Aquarius | 59° E | Evening sky |
| Jan 15 | +1.0 | 1.735 | Aquarius | 55° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 1 | +1.1 | 1.850 | Pisces | 50° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 15 | +1.2 | 1.944 | Pisces | 47° E | Evening sky |
| Mar 1 | +1.3 | 2.037 | Pisces | 43° E | Evening sky |
| Mar 15 | +1.4 | 2.127 | Aries | 39° E | Evening sky |
| Apr 1 | +1.5 | 2.231 | Aries | 34° E | Evening sky |
| Apr 15 | +1.5 | 2.312 | Taurus | 30° E | Evening sky |
| May 1 | +1.6 | 2.397 | Taurus | 26° E | Evening sky |
| May 15 | +1.6 | 2.463 | Taurus | 22° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 1 | +1.6 | 2.532 | Taurus | 17° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 15 | +1.7 | 2.579 | Gemini | 13° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jul 1 | +1.6 | 2.620 | Gemini | 8° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jul 15 | +1.6 | 2.644 | Gemini | 4° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Aug 1 | +1.6 | 2.658 | Cancer | 2° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Aug 15 | +1.7 | 2.655 | Cancer | 6° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 1 | +1.8 | 2.635 | Leo | 12° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 15 | +1.8 | 2.604 | Leo | 16° W | Morning sky |
| Oct 1 | +1.8 | 2.553 | Leo | 22° W | Morning sky |
| Oct 15 | +1.8 | 2.494 | Virgo | 27° W | Morning sky |
| Nov 1 | +1.8 | 2.405 | Virgo | 33° W | Morning sky |
| Nov 15 | +1.8 | 2.319 | Virgo | 38° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 1 | +1.7 | 2.207 | Virgo | 44° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 15 | +1.6 | 2.098 | Virgo | 50° W | Morning sky |
Computed with the JPL DE421 ephemeris and Skyfield (times in JST). Magnitude and distance are for 12:00 JST on each date. Visibility is a rough guide for mid-northern latitudes such as Japan.
About this page
Mars is brightest around January 2017 (magnitude +0.9); 1 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.