Thousands catch Mars view

Mars pictured by the Hubble telescope

Enlarge Image

British stargazers have stayed up all night to get the best view of the Red Planet during their lifetime.

Mars and Earth passed closer together than at any time in almost 60,000 years during Wednesday morning.

The historical event happened at 1051 BST (0951 GMT), when the two planets were 56 million kilometres (35 million miles) apart - about the closest they can get.

Robin Scagell, from the Society of Popular Astronomy, said those with telescopes would have got a unique view of Mars.

"From the point of view of looking at it through a telescope we really notice the difference because when I've seen Mars before you had to strain to make out any details.

"Overnight it was absolutely superb, we can see an enormous amount of detail."

Click here to see how Mars is passing close by the Earth

He said stargazers were able to see the south polar cap very clearly

"Everyone has looked through their telescopes, has seen this detail and has said 'wow' and things like that which has made it all worthwhile from our point of view."

Many Britons got their best ever view

Astronomers in parts of the southern hemisphere gathered at observatories to view the Red Planet as night fell.

The mysterious planet is visible as a bright orange object in the night sky, outshining any other celestial body except the Moon and Venus.

Mars can be seen in the night sky from anywhere on Earth with the naked eye but stargazers at lower latitudes will have the best chance of a spectacular sighting.

Sir Patrick Moore, presenter of the BBC's Sky at Night, said: "You can find it easily, it is so bright, in the south at midnight, you can't mistake it, bright and red."

Click here to return