For this entire week Mars is at a close distance to Earth and will be visible in the north-east night sky as a bright orange star.
Mars will rise every night just after sunset and is said to be sticking around until early November, however the best time to catch a peek is around midnight this week.
While it can be seen from anywhere in Australia the further up north you are, the better view you’ll have. We’re looking at you Queenslanders.
Mars is typical for playing ‘hide and seek’ as Earth is positioned directly between it and the Sun.
"Mars moves a bit slower [than Earth when it orbits the Sun] and every two-and-a-quarter years the Earth catches up to Mars and we get a good look at it for about a month until Earth starts to pull ahead," Anthony Wesley, a Central Queensland amateur astronomer, told the ABC.
At its farthest point it can be up to 400 million kilometres from Earth, however this week it will be 60 million kilometres away.
Considering it is so difficult to get a view of, Wesley reveals there is still a lot unknown about Mars.
"While Mars is close, there is a rare opportunity for observation of the clouds and weather systems," he said.
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