ILLUSTRATION BY STUART FUNK
Are you still looking for a Halloween costume? How about something related to Mars?
The red planet is swinging by Earth for a visit. Mars reaches opposition shortly after 4 p.m. on Oct. 13. This means that the planet is on the opposite side of the sky from the sun and, thus, will be high and bright in our late-night sky.
At the last opposition two years ago, Mars was covered by huge dust storms, which hid surface features from view. Here’s hoping Martian weather cooperates this time around.
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Each month, Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory astronomer Eric McLaughlin spotlights a notable celestial event. For information about the observatory, visit ranchomiragelibrary.org.
• READ NEXT: Catch up on Your Horoscope.