Mars Observation Details
Mars Daily Motion
Mars will not be observable tonight. It will reach its transit at 31° by 10:08 and set at 14:58. Throughout the night, from 16:19 to 04:18, it will be below the horizon. Mars will rise again after sunrise, at 05:17.Mars will become visible in May, 30. After being too close to the Sun to observe, it will reappear in the night sky. Starting from May, 30, Mars can be seen again, providing a good opportunity for observation.
Mars Visibility Timetable on January 21
Mars Rise and Set Timetable
| Time | Elevation | |
| Moon Rise, 3.6% illuminated | 06:37 | 13° |
| Mars transit | 10:08 | 31° |
| Mars set | 14:58 | |
| Astrosession begin | 16:50 | -21° |
| Moon Set | 17:27 | -28° |
| Astrosession end | 03:47 | -17° |
| Mars rise | 05:17 | |
| Sunrise | 05:19 | 0° |
Track Mars Position Throughout the Night
← Wed, 21 January 2026 →
| Time | |
| Altitude | |
| Azimuth |
Shift the map to change the time and observe Mars changing position in the night sky.
Where is Mars right now?
Mars is located in the constellation Sagittarius, at right ascension 20h 00m 43s" and declination -21° 33' 43s, approximately 2.39 AU (357,538,911 km) from Earth. Although it is currently above the horizon at an altitude of 7 degrees, Mars is not visible because it is daytime.Mars's Moon Positions
In this section, we explore the dynamic positions of Mars' two moons, Phobos and Deimos, as they orbit the Red Planet during the night. Phobos, the larger and closer of the two, whizzes around Mars in just over seven hours, often casting its shadow on the Martian surface. Deimos, being smaller and farther away, takes approximately 30 hours to complete an orbit, resulting in more gradual changes in its position.
Mars Map
Mars Features
Valles Marineris: A vast canyon system stretching over 4,000 km long and up to 7 km deep, it is one of the largest canyons in the solar system.
Amazonis Planitia: A vast plain in the northern hemisphere, known for its smooth surface and relatively young geological features.
Tharsis Montes: A volcanic plateau hosting three large shield volcanoes—Arsia Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Ascraeus Mons—each towering over 14 km high.
Olympus Mons: The tallest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons stands about 22 km high and spans 600 km in diameter.
Discover even more Mars features with our interactive, high-resolution Mars map
Upcoming Events
| Time | Description | Constellation |
|---|---|---|
| Mon, 11 January 2027 | Retrograde motion of Mars begins | Leo |
Current position of Mars in Solar System
| Date | Wed, 21 January 2026 |
| Distance from Earth to Mars | 2.3917 AU (357,793,227km) |
| Elongation | 3° |
| Angular diameter | 3.9" |
| Magnitude | 1.1 |
Finder Chart for Mars
Double-click to unlock the map.
| Object name | Mars |
| Field of view | |
| Limiting magnitude | |
| Mars coordinates | 20.01215, -21.56211 |
| Center coordinates | 20.01215, -21.56211 |
Mars Passage Through Night
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Current position of Mars
| Time | 05:59 |
| Latitude | 37.3541 |
| Longitude | -121.955 |
| Mars elevation | 7° |
| Mars Azimuth | -124° |
Here you can see the current position of the Mars on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool allows you to track the Mars's movement throughout the night, providing you with accurate and up-to-date information.
Annual motion of Mars
| Date | Wed, 21 January 2026 |
| Twighlight start | 16:45 |
| Twighlight end | 03:41 |
| Twighlight duration | 11h 55m |
| Rise | 05:15 |
| Set | 14:54 |
| Elevation at transit | 31° |
| Transit time | 10:04 |
| Equatorial coordinates | RA: 20h 01m 49s", Dec: -21° 30' 41s |
| Magnitude | 1 |
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a Mars, providing a comprehensive overview of its daily appearances and transit times throughout the year.
The graph is structured with the vertical axis showing the hours of the day, ranging from 12 AM to 12 AM the next day, while the horizontal axis spans each day of the year.
The reddish shaded area indicates the periods when the Mars is above the horizon, visible to observers. The white line marks the times when the celestial object reaches its highest point in the sky each day, known as the transit.
The graph is structured with the vertical axis showing the hours of the day, ranging from 12 AM to 12 AM the next day, while the horizontal axis spans each day of the year.
The reddish shaded area indicates the periods when the Mars is above the horizon, visible to observers. The white line marks the times when the celestial object reaches its highest point in the sky each day, known as the transit.
Astrometric & Physical Parameters of Mars
Coordinates & Visibility
| Right Ascension | 20.01215° |
| Declination | -21.56211° |
| Magnitude | 1.1 |
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
| Elevation | 7.1° |
| Azimuth | -124.1° |
Basic Properties
| Mass, kg | 6.4171E+23 |
| Mean density, g/cm³ | 3.933(5+-4) |
Orbit
| Orbital period, days | 686.98 d |
Rotation
| Sidereal rotation period, days | 24.622962 hr |
| Mean solar day, hours | 88775.24415 s |
Surface & Atmosphere
| Surface gravity, m/s² | 3.71 |
| Escape velocity, km/s | 5.027 |
| Surface pressure, bar | 0.0056 |
| Mean temperature, K | 210 |
Brightness
| Visual magnitude V(1,0) | -1.52 |
Data Acknowledgment
Our solar system data—including planetary physical and orbital parameters—comes from the Solar System OpenData API , maintained by Le Système Solaire. We thank Christophe and the contributors for making this open data available.