This story is originally appeared on WIRED in Spanish and has been translated from Spanish.
August brought many spectacular sights to the night sky: a supermoon, meteor showersAnd supercharged aurora borealis. Mars and Jupiter also appear unusually close together in the night sky at the moment, in what's known as a conjunction. They appeared closest to each other in the early morning of August 14 and are now gradually moving apart, and won't be this close in the sky again until 2033.
But while they’re still close, they’ll be joined by a third protagonist, the Moon, at the end of the month—on August 27—producing a rare triple conjunction of the three bodies in close proximity. The Moon will be in its waxing phase, and according to the constellation tracking app Star walkwill be illuminated by 40 percent. This decrease in brightness will make it possible to see the red dot of Mars and the larger star Jupiter next to it.
It is not necessary to have telescopes or binoculars to enjoy the conjunction, although it is essential to be in a place where there is no light pollution. Photographers with experience in viewing astronomical events recommend going to a high place to view the phenomenon, such as a mountain or the roof of a house. If you do so, make sure you are well sheltered and protected from the cold.
NASA says the triangle between the moon, Mars and Jupiter will be visible in the west about an hour before sunrise. If a viewer uses advanced observational instruments, he or she will also be able to see the red giant stars Aldebaran above the triangle and Betelgeuse below it in the northern hemisphere.
Distinguishing between planets and stars
Although they may look the same in the sky, planets and stars do not behave in the same way. Stars maintain a fixed position that changes only depending on the season of the year. The planets, on the other hand, move along a line known as an ecliptic during the night. In addition, the stars twinkle or appear to vary in brightness, while the planets remain constant.
Only five planets are visible to the naked eye from Earth: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury. Each celestial body appears in the sky periodically, but because they move at different speeds and their distance from Earth varies, they exhibit unique behavior at night. For example, Mercury and Venus are only visible at sunset or sunrise, while Mars or Jupiter shine all night.