There will be a rare chance to see Mars at its 'best and brightest' this month

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Mars reaches opposition this week, marking the best time to see and photograph the planet. The Red Planet hasn’t been in opposition since 2022 and won’t be again until February 2027, and March 2029.

With the right viewing conditions, Mars will shine at its best and brightest making this a highly anticipated celestial event.

A planet opposition occurs when the Earth finds itself directly between the Sun and another planet. This week, for example, Mars will be on the 'opposite' side of the sky to the Sun from our vantage point on Earth: when the Sun sets in the west, Mars will appear in the east.

As the Royal Observatory explains, only planets that are further out in the Solar System than the Earth can be in opposition: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.