It's a great time to be an early bird because an unusual astronomical sighting called Lunar Occultation can likely be visible right outside your front door early Tuesday morning.
From 3:38 a.m. to 4:29 a.m. Pacific Time, the Earth, Mars and the moon will perfectly align. Mars will then fall into the crescent moon's shadow for more than an hour before reappearing on the other side.
What to Know About the Lunar Occultation
- It will take place from 3:38 a.m. to 4:29 a.m. Pacific Time Tuesday
- Mars will fall behind the crescent moon's shadow for over an hour
- The last time this happened was in 1998
In space, an occultation happens when one object passes in front of another.
If you are a resident of Southern California, consider yourself lucky as the Lunar Occultation will be visible to you by the naked eye in almost perfect weather conditions.