Opposition Phenomenon (Mars)

Opposition Phenomenon (Mars)

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Space

In news

• Recently, Mars became the third brightest object (moon and Venus are first and second, respectively) outshining Jupiter in the night sky.
• This event is referred to as “opposition”.
• It takes place every two years and two months.

Important value additions

Opposition 

• It is the event when the sun, Earth and an outer planet are lined up, with the Earth in the middle. 
• The time of opposition is the point when the outer planet is typically also at its closest distance to the Earth for a given year.
• Since it is close, the planet appears brighter in the sky.