If you have noticed a particularly bright red star shining in the night sky recently, take another look. That "star" is actually Mars, and its about to be bigger and brighter than it has been in 15 years.
Mars opposition is taking place on July 27, which is when Earth passes in between Mars and the sun, putting the two planets near their closest points to each other. The Red Planet will be brilliant in the sky, brighter than Jupiter (which is usually the second brightest planet after Venus) between July 7 and September 7, but it will be particularly spectacular on July 27, according to EarthSky.
According to NASA, a Mars opposition occurs every 26 months, but every 15 to 17 years the opposition occurs near Mars' perihelion—the point when the planet's orbit is closest to the sun, making it even brighter in the sky when viewed from Earth. The last time a Mars opposition lined up with a Mars perihelion was in 2003, when Mars was at its brightest in the sky in roughly 60,000 years.
M). Mars won't be this big and bright again until 2035!