Mars Oppositions
| These charts show the locations of all the "favorable" Martian oppositions from 1954 to 2052, i.e., about 100 years time frame. These are the oppositions bracketed around the perihelic position in Aquarius. The opposition years are 1954-1956-1958, 1971-1973, 1986-1988, 2003-2005, 2018-2020, 2033-2035-2037, and 2050-2052. As always, Guy Ottewell presents information with great clarity and creates the most insightful diagrams to help explain phenomena such as Mars' cyclical motion. The most comprehensive listing of Martian oppositions that I have found shows orbital diagrams for the period 1880 - 2200. 2082 is gonna be great! |
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This table shows the circumstances for all Martian oppositions from 1960 to 2054,
with disk sizes scaled by diameter (not brightness).
Date,December 29 1960,Dia,15.36,Mag,-1.55,RA,06h 39m 41s,Dec,26 48 17
Date Diameter Magnitude Right Ascension Declination Disk December 29 1960 15.36 -1.55 06h 39m 41s +26 48 17 
February 3 1963 13.96 -1.25 09h 15m 58s +20 39 32 
March 8 1965 13.98 -1.25 11h 25m 28s +08 05 03 
April 14 1967 15.46 -1.56 13h 35m 24s -07 44 53 
May 30 1969 19.24 -2.18 16h 32m 57s -23 57 12 
August 9 1971 24.90 -2.85 21h 26m 55.4s -22 14 22 
October 24 1973 21.21 -2.49 02h 00m 17.4s +10 17 49 
December 14 1975 16.44 -1.76 05h 29m 26s +26 02 13 
January 21 1978 14.31 -1.33 08h 19m 26.6s +24 06 55 
February 24 1980 13.82 -1.22 10h 36m 59.6s +13 26 23 
March 30 1982 14.67 -1.40 12h 43m 12s -01 23 21 
May 10 1984 17.40 -1.91 15h 13m 51.5s -18 06 32 
July 9 1986 23.02 -2.65 19h 20m 01s -27 43 54 
September 27 1988 23.65 -2.75 00h 26m 27s -02 06 44 
November 27 1990 17.89 -2.02 04h 12m 02s +22 37 21 
January 7 1993 14.90 -1.45 07h 18m 31s +26 17 07 
February 11 1995 13.85 -1.23 09h 47m 08s +18 10 41 
March 16 1997 14.17 -1.29 11h 54m 15.5s +04 38 51 
April 24 1999 16.06 -1.67 14h 08m 39.5s -11 35 15 
June 12 2001 20.50 -2.35 17h 28m 35s -26 29 17 
August 28 2003 25.10 -2.88 22h 37m 05s -15 51 13 
November 6 2005 19.93 -2.33 02h 51m 03s +15 54 28 
December 24 2007 15.78 -1.63 06h 11m 10s +26 46 40 
January 29 2010 14.08 -1.28 08h 53m 40s +22 11 04 
March 3 2012 13.89 -1.23 11h 05m 51s +10 19 05 
April 8 2014 15.08 -1.48 13h 13m 20s -05 06 25 
May 21 2016 18.35 -2.06 15h 58m 16s -21 39 40 
July 26 2018 24.23 -2.78 20h 32m 46s -25 29 43 
October 13 2020 22.32 -2.62 01h 22m 13s +05 26 00 
December 7 2022 17.04 -1.87 04h 58m 40s +24 59 39 
January 15 2025 14.54 -1.38 07h 56m 19s +25 07 17 
February 18 2027 13.81 -1.21 10h 18m 36s +15 18 04 
March 24 2029 14.42 -1.34 12h 23m 43s +01 02 30 
May 3 2031 16.73 -1.80 14h 46m 52s -15 30 30 
June 27 2033 21.91 -2.52 18h 30m 12s -27 49 39 
September 15 2035 24.51 -2.84 23h 42m 16.4s -08 03 35 
November 18 2037 18.75 -2.16 03h 40m 05s +20 16 39 
January 1 2040 15.27 -1.53 06h 53m 52s +26 39 19 
February 5 2042 13.93 -1.24 09h 27m 36s +19 46 40 
March 11 2044 14.02 -1.26 07h 34m 28s +07 00 35 
April 17 2046 15.58 -1.58 13h 45m 51s -08 57 54 
June 2 2048 19.48 -2.21 16h 48m 53s -24 44 23 
August 13 2050 25.01 -2.87 21h 46m 12s -20 42 52 
October 27 2052 20.98 -2.46 02h 15m 15s +11 58 21 
December 17 2054 16.29 -1.73 05h 42m 39s +26 20 28 
This illustration of
Hubble Space Telescope images shows a better view of a recent 17 year cycle
of Martian oppositions. Another diagram without images or planet sizes
shows the position,
dates, and distances of the last 25 years of oppositions.
Date,February 3 1963,Dia,13.96,Mag,-1.25,RA,09h 15m 58s,Dec,20 39 32
Date,March 8 1965,Dia,13.98,Mag,-1.25,RA,11h 25m 28s,Dec,08 05 03
Date,April 14 1967,Dia,15.46,Mag,-1.56,RA,13h 35m 24s,Dec,-07 44 53
Date,May 30 1969,Dia,19.24,Mag,-2.18,RA,16h 32m 57s,Dec,-23 57 12
Date,August 9 1971,Dia,24.90,Mag,-2.85,RA,21h 26m 55.4s,Dec,-22 14 22
Date,October 24 1973,Dia,21.21,Mag,-2.49,RA,02h 00m 17.4s,Dec,10 17 49
Date,December 14 1975,Dia,16.44,Mag,-1.76,RA,05h 29m 26s,Dec,26 02 13
Date,January 21 1978,Dia,14.31,Mag,-1.33,RA,08h 19m 26.6s,Dec,24 06 55
Date,February 24 1980,Dia,13.82,Mag,-1.22,RA,10h 36m 59.6s,Dec,13 26 23
Date,March 30 1982,Dia,14.67,Mag,-1.40,RA,12h 43m 12s,Dec,-01 23 21
Date,May 10 1984,Dia,17.40,Mag,-1.91,RA,15h 13m 51.5s,Dec,-18 06 32
Date,July 9 1986,Dia,23.02,Mag,-2.65,RA,19h 20m 01s,Dec,-27 43 54
Date,September 27 1988,Dia,23.65,Mag,-2.75,RA,00h 26m 27s,Dec,-02 06 44
Date,November 27 1990,Dia,17.89,Mag,-2.02,RA,04h 12m 02s,Dec,22 37 21
Date,January 7 1993,Dia,14.90,Mag,-1.45,RA,07h 18m 31s,Dec,26 17 07
Date,February 11 1995,Dia,13.85,Mag,-1.23,RA,09h 47m 08s,Dec,18 10 41
Date,March 16 1997,Dia,14.17,Mag,-1.29,RA,11h 54m 15.5s,Dec,04 38 51
Date,April 24 1999,Dia,16.06,Mag,-1.67,RA,14h 08m 39.5s,Dec,-11 35 15
Date,June 12 2001,Dia,20.50,Mag,-2.35,RA,17h 28m 35s,Dec,-26 29 17
Date,August 28 2003,Dia,25.10,Mag,-2.88,RA,22h 37m 05s,Dec,-15 51 13
Date,November 6 2005,Dia,19.93,Mag,-2.33,RA,02h 51m 03s,Dec,15 54 28
Date,December 24 2007,Dia,15.78,Mag,-1.63,RA,06h 11m 10s,Dec,26 46 40
Date,January 29 2010,Dia,14.08,Mag,-1.28,RA,08h 53m 40s,Dec,22 11 04
Date,March 3 2012,Dia,13.89,Mag,-1.23,RA,11h 05m 51s,Dec,10 19 05
Date,April 8 2014,Dia,15.08,Mag,-1.48,RA,13h 13m 20s,Dec,-05 06 25
Date,May 21 2016,Dia,18.35,Mag,-2.06,RA,15h 58m 16s,Dec,-21 39 40
Date,July 26 2018,Dia,24.23,Mag,-2.78,RA,20h 32m 46s,Dec,-25 29 43
Date,October 13 2020,Dia,22.32,Mag,-2.62,RA,01h 22m 13s,Dec,05 26 00
Date,December 7 2022,Dia,17.04,Mag,-1.87,RA,04h 58m 40s,Dec,24 59 39
Date,January 15 2025,Dia,14.54,Mag,-1.38,RA,07h 56m 19s,Dec,25 07 17
Date,February 18 2027,Dia,13.81,Mag,-1.21,RA,10h 18m 36s,Dec,15 18 04
Date,March 24 2029,Dia,14.42,Mag,-1.34,RA,12h 23m 43s,Dec,01 02 30
Date,May 3 2031,Dia,16.73,Mag,-1.80,RA,14h 46m 52s,Dec,-15 30 30
Date,June 27 2033,Dia,21.91,Mag,-2.52,RA,18h 30m 12s,Dec,-27 49 39
Date,September 15 2035,Dia,24.51,Mag,-2.84,RA,23h 42m 16.4s,Dec,-08 03 35
Date,November 18 2037,Dia,18.75,Mag,-2.16,RA,03h 40m 05s,Dec,20 16 39
Date,January 1 2040,Dia,15.27,Mag,-1.53,RA,06h 53m 52s,Dec,26 39 19
Date,February 5 2042,Dia,13.93,Mag,-1.24,RA,09h 27m 36s,Dec,19 46 40
Date,March 11 2044,Dia,14.02,Mag,-1.26,RA,07h 34m 28s,Dec,07 00 35
Date,April 17 2046,Dia,15.58,Mag,-1.58,RA,13h 45m 51s,Dec,-08 57 54
Date,June 2 2048,Dia,19.48,Mag,-2.21,RA,16h 48m 53s,Dec,-24 44 23
Date,August 13 2050,Dia,25.01,Mag,-2.87,RA,21h 46m 12s,Dec,-20 42 52
Date,October 27 2052,Dia,20.98,Mag,-2.46,RA,02h 15m 15s,Dec,11 58 21
Date,December 17 2054,Dia,16.29,Mag,-1.73,RA,05h 42m 39s,Dec,26 20 28
