Designed to be a technology demonstration that would take five flights in 30 days, NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter eventually flew more than 14 times farther and logged more than two hours of total flight time. This video shows all 72 flights on Mars, including the final flight on Jan. 18, 2024. (Video: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
The Moon and Mars will appear just a short distance away from each other on Wednesday night, and will be visible from the night sky.
The Red Planet and the Moon will be roughly 4 degrees apart on Wednesday evening, with the best visibility of seeing the planet and moon in the early morning hours on Thursday when both are positioned high in the sky.
The moon will be in the waning gibbous phase, meaning it will be two-thirds full.
Look to the east-northeast to see the near conjunction. It’s best viewed with a telescope or binoculars.
FILE The Full Moon and Mars rising into the southeast over the long abandoned grain elevator at Dorothy, Alberta, in the Red Deer River valley, Alberta This was July 27, 2018. (Photo by: Alan Dyer/VW Pics/UIG via Getty Images)
(Alan Dyer/VW Pics/UIG / Getty Images)
Geminids Meteor Shower begins this week
The Geminids meteor shower also begins this week, giving viewers an abundance of things to look out for in the sky.
The meteor shower starts in mid-November and runs through Christmas Eve, with peak activity for the show on Dec. 13 and 14, when 120 meteors per hour are possible under the right conditions.
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Geminids are known for their speed and yellow color. NASA said the Geminid meteor shower is “considered to be one of the best and most reliable annual meteor showers.”
To spot meteors, it’s best to have a dark sky away from city lights. When in doubt about where to go, an International Dark Sky Sanctuary location is best if you have one nearby.
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When you step outside, give your eyes time to adjust to the dark. It may take up to 40 minutes.