Rumor has it that if you wish upon a star, your deepest desires may just happen for you, but this time you'll be wishing on a planet. The science behind this well-known superstition may still be awaiting confirmation, and as far as celestial events go, tomorrow is basically going to be a stargazer’s dream come true for Floridians. Here's what you need to know to catch this skyward sight of the moon devouring Mars. On Tuesday, February 18, 2020, Floridians will be able to view what is called a “Martian occultation.” Now, before you get all excited about the prospect of 1980s movie-style aliens, just keep in mind that “Martian” means “of Mars,” and “occultation” is basically the fancy NASA way of saying “hiding.” This means that the planet Mars will hang out on the dark side of the moon for about an hour, making it completely invisible to us here on Earth. This is going to be a major sight unseen! But before it disappears, you can actually watch it as the moon seemingly eats Mars right out of the sky. You're not going to want to miss the otherworldly picture of a bright red Mars migrating slowing towards the illuminated crescent moon. View this post on Instagram 🪐🟠CALLING ALL EARLY RISERS🔴🌘 . Are you tired of your friends bragging about how they stayed up all night looking at the wonders of the cosmos while you were enjoying your well-deserved sleep? Well this week is your chance to catch some AMAZING early-morning astro action! . TUESDAY, February 18: our Moon “gobbles up” Mars in an occultation, beginning at 7:29 AM (EST). West coast viewers will admittedly have a better chance at watching this event, but if you’re determined, and have a telescope, you might be able to spot Mars just as it passes behind the Moon. Sunrise at 6:46 AM will make this extremely difficult. . THIS WEEK: beginning at 4 AM (EST), you’ll be about to spot our ruddy neighbor Mars above the southeastern horizon. Our waning Moon will be nice and high as well, offering great crater views. Stay outside a little longer till 5 AM and watch giant Jupiter join the party. Jupiter is, of course, easily spotted by how bright it is. By 5:30 AM, the conga line in this dance party is complete by Saturn (and if you’re in dark skies on the west coast, Pluto!) with bettering views by 6 AM, before the Sun makes it hard to see. . As the week progresses, the Moon will continue to wane, until Saturday February 22 where we’ll have a 1% waning Moon. But you’ll still have Mars, Jupiter and Saturn on full display. So get outside and look up! (Credit: SkySafari) #Moon #Mars #Jupiter #Saturn #Occultation #Stargazing #solarsystemambassador A post shared by Kuiper Kat's Astronomy (@kuiperkat) on Feb 16, 2020 at 7:36am PST This is an image that you will only be able to catch right before dawn in the Sunshine State, which decreases your chances of being able to see this with the naked eye, but it's not impossible. If you get out early enough and weather conditions are clear, you'll see be able to see Mars as it slowly inches closer to the moon. While you'll be able to see this phenomenon across the Eastern Time Zone, in Florida, this will happen just after sunrise, which means that the actual instant when Mars hides behind the moon can only be seen with a telescope or binoculars. Grab your bestie, your bae or your whole crew, and sit in the clear of the night to watch the starry sky as it fades into dawn. This is the perfect opportunity to see the universe in a totally new way. And, who knows? Maybe you’ll spot a shooting star, while you’re at it, and make a few wishes along the way. Whether you're a total astronomy nerd or you just want to hang out underneath a crescent moon, you shouldn’t miss this stunning natural gift. View this post on Instagram (1/2) 'Tutulma' kelimesiyle ifade edilen üç tip gezegen hizalanması durumu vardır. Biz hepsine birden tutulma desek de aslında aralarında bazı farklar vardır. 1) Transit (Geçiş): . Dünya'dan bakıldığında büyük bir gezegenin/gök cisminin önünden geçen küçük gezegenin/gök cisminin görülmesidir. Bunun gezegen hareketleri manasında kullandığımız 'transit' kelimesiyle ilgisi yoktur. 11 Kasım 2019'da Merkür Tutulması adıyla anılan gökyüzü hareketi aslında Merkür'ün Güneş'in önünden geçmesi idi. Merkür Transiti olarak daha doğru bir ifadesi vardı. İngilizcede 'Transit of Mercury' olarak anıldı. 2) Occultation (Saklanma / Gizlenme): Dünya'dan bakıldığında yakındaki gezegenin/gök cisminin uzaktaki gezegeni/gök cismini saklamasıdır. 18 Şubat 2020'de Ay (yakındaki gezegen), Mars'ı (uzaktaki gezegen) saklayacaktır. Türkçede Mars Tutulması olarak anılsa da bu gerçekte bir 'Mars Saklanması' olacaktır. 3) Tutulma: Dünya'dan bakıldığında Ay'ın Güneş'in önüne geçmesi Güneş Tutulması yaratır. Tanım olarak Ay, Güneş'i kısmen kapattığında bu aslında bir 'Ay transiti' olur. Tamamen kapattığında, bu aslında bir 'Güneş saklanması' olur. Ama her iki durum da kendine has bir isimle Güneş Tutulması olarak anılır. Genel olarak 'tutulma' dediğimizde akla Güneş veya Ay tutulmasının gelmesi sanıyorum daha sık ve düzenli gerçekleşmeleri sebebiyledir. Geçişler ve saklanmalar daha nadir ve düzensiz olurlar. .. . (Devam edecek) #astroloji #yeşimarpat #tutulma #yesimarpat #occultation #marstutulması #merkürtutulması #burçlar #aytutulması #güneştutulması #doğumharitası #yıldızharitası A post shared by Yesim Arpat (@yesimarpat) on Jan 29, 2020 at 5:55am PST Martian Occultation Price: Free, courtesy of Mother Earth Where: Florida and the Eastern Time Zone, right after sunrise. Why You Need To Go: Sit below an umbrella of stars, soak up the image of the crescent moon, reconnect with nature. Go with your best friend, your bae, or go it alone. This is one of those rare moments in life that you just shouldn't miss. Get out just before dawn to watch as Mars drifts into hiding behind our moon. Website
