Astronomy enthusiasts in Vietnam can observe Mars starting today, even with the naked eye, without waiting until 10:19 AM on Sunday (October 30, Hanoi time) when Mars will be 69.4 million kilometers away from Earth. This is the closest distance between the two celestial bodies in the past two years.
 |
This is a partial diagram of the solar system on October 30, when Earth and Mars are closest to each other. Earth is in the middle, with the Sun on one side and Mars on the other. |
According to Master’s degree holder Phan Van Dong, Secretary General of the Vietnam Astronomy Association, the current phase is referred to as opposition, meaning that Earth is in the middle, with the Sun on one side and Mars on the other. When the sun sets, Mars appears on the eastern horizon. Therefore, Mars can be seen in Vietnam.
Start Observing from 8-9 PM Daily
It is possible to observe Mars throughout the night in Vietnam, starting from 8-9 PM. With the naked eye, if you look straight toward the east, slightly tilted toward the south, you will see a bright red dot, resembling a star. That is Mars. However, Mars can still be distinguished by its red dot, which appears larger and brighter than other stars in the night sky. As it gets later, Mars moves higher in the sky and gradually shifts westward, making it more visible.
Near dawn, this celestial body reaches its highest altitude. When the sun rises, Mars will be in the western sky. However, due to the overwhelming sunlight, it will no longer be observable in Vietnam. This is unfortunate for astronomy lovers in Vietnam, as the best time to see Mars clearly is at 10:19 AM on Sunday (October 30) when Mars is 69.4 million kilometers away from Earth – the closest distance between these two celestial bodies in the past two years.
Another important piece of information is that the cold air mass and tropical depression will cause rain and cloudy skies, affecting the observation of Mars in Vietnam in the coming days. However, don’t be too disappointed, as after October 30, Mars will still be one of the brightest and most magnificent celestial bodies in the night sky. In other words, Mars can still be seen in the night sky in Vietnam until the end of December 2005.
Without a Telescope, Use Binoculars and the Naked Eye
If you observe with the naked eye, Mars will appear as a red dot. Through a telescope, Mars will appear as large as the Moon or a sparkling ball. With a 60mm diameter telescope, it will be easy to observe Syrtis Major, the most distinctive feature of Mars. This vast plain, with many craters, appears like a black triangular tongue, pointing toward the northern pole of Mars.
 |
Mars rises in the east as darkness falls. |
It is also possible to observe Hellas – a gigantic crater formed by a meteorite, often covered by a white mist. If you invest in a telescope with a diameter of over 200mm, you can see much more detail, including Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system, standing at 25.6 km high. The southern polar region of Mars, shrunk due to the heat of summer, will appear as a sparkling white dot. If you’re lucky, on a certain night, you might see the tiny moons – Phobos and Deimos – of Mars. They were once asteroids until captured by Mars’ gravity.
If you cannot buy or borrow a telescope (due to scarcity and high prices, with only one store selling telescopes in Ho Chi Minh City and none in Hanoi) but still want to observe Mars more clearly than with the naked eye, Mr. Dong suggests: secure the binoculars to a stable point, such as a stake, and you can observe Mars. The higher the magnification of the binoculars, the clearer the observation.
It is hoped that in 2018, when this fascinating natural phenomenon repeats, each province or at least each region in Vietnam will have a planetarium for the public, especially the youth, to come and observe and learn about astronomy. According to Vietnamese astronomers, currently, Vietnam has only one planetarium located in Vinh City (Nghe An), while Germany has 69, China has 40, Japan has 268, and the United States has 1,055. It is known that two years ago, Hanoi intended to allocate a piece of land in the southern part of the city to build a planetarium funded by France. However, two years have passed without any updates!
Minh Son
