Wolf Moon Ireland: Mars will be visible in Irish skies tonight in rare stargazers' treat

Stargazers across Ireland are in for a celestial treat tonight as Mars is set to appear next to the full moon in an extremely rare sight.

The first full moon of the year, also known as the Wolf Moon, will be in peak view on Monday evening (January 13). This Wolf Moon is unique because it will occult Mars, a phenomenon that occurs when one celestial object passes directly in front of another, smaller one.

Stargazers living in Ireland will be able to see the occultation with the naked eye, meaning you will have a chance to see the Red Planet glowing beside the moon on Monday evening, although some cloud cover may restrict the view.

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According to NASA, a full Moon in January is called a Wolf Moon because of the packs of wolves heard howling at the Moon outside villages in the wintertime in decades past. The name is thought to have a Celtic and Old English origin, brought over to North America by European settlers.

From an astrological perspective, full Moons are believed to signify emotional intensity and heightened awareness.

Tonight's full moon will move eastward as it passes in front of Mars, making it appear as though the red planet is catching up to the moon.

A few hours before, or after the occultation, Mars will be plainly visible with unaided eyes, glowing brightly near to the dazzling disk of this first full moon of the winter season.

An opportunity to see the moon occult a bright planet at night does not happen often; for Mars, a specific location on Earth can see it happen (on average) once about every 14 years.

Stargazers are urged to look to the sky at around 7.30pm on Monday evening to catch the full Moon in the eastern sky, with Mars set to be visible below and to the left of it.

By 10.30pm Irish time, Mars and the Moon will be even closer together, and will have tracked higher across the sky, and will be visible in the southeast.

By midnight, Mars will be seen to the left of the Moon, and the two will now be in the south.

Although very spectacular to the naked eye, the Moon and Mars are not really close, it is just a line of sight effect.

Mars is actually twice as wide as the Moon, at 4,200 miles compared to the Moon's 2,160 mile diameter. But at 97 million km, Mars is 240 times further away than the Moon, which is only 0.4 million km from us.

If you’re planning to catch tonight's celestial event, here are some tips:

• The best viewing time is around midnight when the Moon is highest in the sky.
• To spot Mars, try blocking part of the Moon’s glow with a distant object like a tree or building. This reduces the moonlight, making it easier to see the red planet.
• Find a spot away from city lights for the clearest view.

After Monday, the next full Moon is set to arrive on February 12, and it's called the Snow Moon.

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