Jordan will witness a distinctive astronomical event early this coming Saturday, featuring the conjunction of Mars and Uranus in the Taurus constellation, where they will reach their closest apparent distance before sunrise, according to the President of the Jordanian Astronomical Society, Dr. Ammar Sakji.
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Sakji stated that the best time to observe and photograph the phenomenon from Jordan will be around 4:15 AM on Saturday, as the two planets will appear low above the eastern horizon. They can be viewed using telescopes or binoculars, and can also be photographed using mobile phone cameras mounted on a suitable tripod. The peak of the conjunction, which occurs at 9:10 AM, cannot be observed due to bright daylight.
He explained that Mars appears much brighter than Uranus, with an apparent magnitude of about +1.3, while Uranus has an apparent magnitude of +5.8, making it difficult to spot with the naked eye and mostly requiring optical instruments. He noted that the event can be followed from the rise of both planets at approximately 3:00 AM until sunrise.
He pointed out that the closeness between the two planets is an apparent convergence resulting from a geometric alignment as seen from Earth, even though the actual distance between them is estimated at billions of kilometers; Mars is about 314 million kilometers away from Earth, while Uranus is approximately 3 billion kilometers away.
He indicated that the Jordanian Astronomical Society will observe and document this phenomenon from the eastern Jordanian desert, as part of its ongoing efforts to track astronomical phenomena and spread scientific culture. - (Petra)
