Mars was at opposition on May 22.

And this is a close one, the planet is only 0.5 AU away from Earth. Its closest approach to us is only a few days later, 30 May, where it will be visible as a disc of 18.6″. This is the best opposition in years, although it will be surpassed by the July 2018 encounter where it will be a scant 0.38 AU distant. However, at Dec -21d, it will be difficult for observers in northern latitudes. In Florida it is spectacular, relatively high in the sky and blazing (fully illuminated by the Sun) at magnitude -2.0.

Saturn is nearby in the sky, approaching opposition on June 3, and is magnitude 0.0, and almost the same apparent size as Mars, (It is much further away, 8.5 AU distant from us). The two planets frame red Antares (“The rival of Mars”, mag 0.9), the heart of the Scorpion, nicely: The Ecliptic passes through the Milky Way here, a disappointment for northern observers but a real treat around midnight for those of us further south.

And don’t forget Jupiter, which was at opposition on Mar 8, and is still high in the sky early in the evening. At mag -2.5 with a 44.5″ disc, it dominates the sky all this month.

Good hunting.