Conjunction of Moon & Mars September 2020

Conjunction Background: Occasionally, two or more objects meet up with each other in our sky. Astronomers use the word conjunction to describe these meetings. The word conjunction comes from Latin, meaning to join together.
In astronomy, a conjunction occurs when two astronomical objects or spacecraft appear to be close to each other in the sky.
This means they have either the same right ascension or the same ecliptic longitude, usually as observed from Earth.
When two objects always appear close to the ecliptic—such as two planets, the Moon and a planet, or the Sun and a planet—this fact implies an apparent close approach between the objects as seen in the sky.
A related word, appulse, is the minimum apparent separation in the sky of two astronomical objects.
Conjunctions involve either two objects in the Solar System or one object in the Solar System and a more distant object, such as a star. A conjunction is an apparent phenomenon caused by the observer's perspective: the two objects involved are not actually close to one another in space.
Conjunctions between two bright objects close to the ecliptic, such as two bright planets, can be seen with the naked eye.
You can keep up to date with upcoming conjunctions by visiting 'Earthsky.org'

Description: The Moon and Mars will share the same right ascension, with the Moon passing 1'36" to the north of Mars. The Moon will be 18 days old.
At around the same time, the two objects will also make a close approach, technically called an appulse. The pair will be visible in the morning sky, becoming accessible around 21:57, when they reach an altitude of 7° above your eastern horizon. They will then reach their highest point in the sky at 03:38, 52° above your southern horizon.
They will be lost to dawn twilight around 06:01, 41° above your south-western horizon.
The Moon will be at mag -12.3, and Mars at mag -1.9, both in the constellation Pisces.

Conjunction of Moon & Mars

Imaging Details

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