The stars and solar system around us have captivated residents of the Castle Country Area both young and old. Thanks to its scenic vistas and low light pollution, the stars in the sky always shine brightly over Carbon and Emery County. This makes solar events all the more intriguing due to their high visibility in the area. One such event is expected to occur on Monday, Jan. 13, when Mars will play peek-a-boo with the moon.

This lunar event will feature Mars being eclipsed by the moon, creating a peek-a-boo visual as it reenters visibility on the other side. This phenomenon will start at 6:58 p.m. when Mars disappears behind the nearly full moon. This will last roughly an hour as the red planet is expected to reappear at 7:52 p.m.

According to NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador to Utah Patrick Wiggins, “Events like this are called lunar occultations and while not especially rare they are unusual enough that most people have never seen one.”

One especially interesting aspect of this occurrence is that Mars is expected to be fully visible to the naked eye due to its brightness. However, optical aids like a binocular or small telescope should make Mars’ disappearance and reappearance easier to see.