Watch Mars shine near a crescent moon in the pre-dawn sky on Saturday. Here is where to search.

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Mars and Venus will light near the crescent 45 minutes before sunrise on January 29, 2022. Look to the southeast on the horizon to see them, weather permitting. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

There is a wonderful “close encounter” between worlds that occurs directly opposite the horizon at sunrise on Saturday (January 29).

Provided you can see low enough between buildings and trees, you can spot the Moon and Mars hovering very close to each other in the sky, just over two degrees apart.

They will not be alone in this close celestial encounter in the dawn sky; Venus will be slightly to your left, and if you want a challenge to observe (and equipped with binoculars), you can also spot (dim) Mercury and (bright) Saturn a little further to the left.

RELATED: Brightest Planets in the Night Sky: How We See Them (and When)

But you’ll have to act fast to see the worlds so close together: In New York City, Mars and the Moon will be visible at 5:01 a.m. ET and disappear from view in the bright sky at 6:48 a.m. ET, according to In-The- Sky.org.

Do you see the moon passing through the planets?

If you’ve ever taken a picture of the Moon, Mars, or Venus, let us know! You can send photos and comments to [email protected].

Conjunctions occur in our sky thanks to the sun, moon and planets that share a path across the sky known as the ecliptic, or what is called the plane of our solar system. Several times a year, you can see different worlds lined up in the sky. Sometimes they hide each other, which will happen next May during the “blood moon” lunar eclipse, when the moon passes in the shadow of the Earth.

Fortunately, most of the visible worlds in the sky should be visible to the naked eye this weekend: Mars with a strength of about 1.5 degrees, Venus with an incredible -4.3, and a rather faint Saturn with a strength of 0.7. It would be easy to spot the moon, of course. For perspective, typical eyes can see up to 6.0 degrees in dark sky conditions.

The Hubble Space Telescope captured this high-resolution view of Mars and its moons Phobos and Deimos. (Image credit: NASA/ESA/STScI)

Make sure to go outside before sunrise, at least 20 minutes earlier if you can, to allow your eyes to adjust to the sky. Protect yourself as best you can from any nearby stray lights. If you must consult a star chart or your phone, use a red filter to preserve your night vision. Sky watchers in cooler regions will also need to gather for pre-dawn observations.

More ambitious astronomers could bring out binoculars or a telescope to observe the conjunctions, although Mars and the Moon would be too far apart to fit within the width of a single telescope.

If you’re looking for a binoculars or telescope to see the planets in the night sky, check out our guide to the best binoculars deals and the best telescope deals right now. If you need gear, consider our best astrophotography cameras and best lenses for astrophotography to make sure you’re ready to see the next planet.

If you missed that pairing, NASA says there’s no need to fear: More is coming soon. “Mars will continue to brighten and rise higher over the next few months, as it will have very close conjunctions with Saturn and Jupiter,” the agency said.

Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or on Facebook.

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