Mars at Opposition: See the Red Planet with Your Own Eyes This Weekend

This means that the Red Planet will be exactly opposite the sun in Earth's sky, making this weekend a great time to see it for yourself. Because Mars is directly opposite the sun (in relation to Earth) during opposition, Mars rises as the sun sets, and sets as the sun rises. To mark the occasion, NASA scientists used the Hubble Space Telescope to capture an absolutely stunning view of Mars as it nears opposition.