What's that next to the Moon?

Is there ever anything interesting to see in the direction opposite the Sun?

At the end of last year's northern summer, after its dazzling opposition, Mars still shone brightly in the night.

Now posing against our galaxy's rich starfields and nebulae, brilliant planet Jupiter shines in the night sky.

This composite of images spaced some 5 to 9 days apart, from late April (bottom right) through November 5 (top left), traces the retrograde motion of ruddy-colored Mars through planet Earth's night sky.

Still bright in evening skies, Mars was just past opposition and closest to Earth on July 31, a mere 57.6 million kilometers away.

Saturn as seen in opposition on july 2017

What's that light at the end of the road? Mars.

What can you see in the night sky this summer?

Since the distance from Earth to Mars changes drastically as the planets orbit the Sun, Mars' appearance changes dramaticaly.