GREETINGS MARS MARVELLERS!

AT THE END OF THIS WEEK, MARS STARTS RETROGRADE MOTION IN A COSMIC BACK-PEDAL.

THIS HAD ASTRONOMERS SCRATCHING THEIR HEADS FOR CENTURIES, BUT NOW WE CAN SEE WHAT’S REALLY HAPPENING.

LEMME SHOW YOU!

AS YOU CAN SEE MARS IS NOT ACTUALLY GOING BACKWARDS, IT’S JUST BECAUSE WE PASS IT IN OUR RESPECTIVE ORBITS.

IT SWITCHES EVERY 26 MONTHS AS IT’S IN A WIDER, SLOWER ORBIT THAN EARTH.

THIS MEANS OBSERVERS ON VENUS OR MERCURY WOULD SEE RETROGRADE EARTH ORBITS!

OH!

SPEAKING OF JUPITER IS AT OPPOSITION THIS WEEK THE SUN IS LIGHTING IT UP FULLY FROM OUR VIEW.

HIT THE DARKNESS AT 8PM LOOKING EAST TO FIND JUPITER, GRAB A TELESCOPE IT’S A GREAT TIME TO SEE IT.

STAY OUT LATE AND WATCH AS MARS RISES AROUND TEN PM!

BEFORE WE UNDERSTOOD PLANETARY MOTION PEOPLE THOUGHT PLANETARY DIRECTION PREDICTED TRAGEDY OR HAPPINESS.

NOW WE KNOW THEY’RE NOT CHANGING DIRECTION AT ALL!

SO WE’RE ALLLL GOOD.

KEEP LOOKING UP!