Amman, July 2 (Petra) — Jordanian skies will feature a rare
astronomical display at dawn on Saturday, as Mars and Uranus appear
in close apparent alignment in the constellation Taurus shortly
before sunrise.

According to Ammar Al-Sakaji, head of the Jordanian Astronomical
Society, the best viewing window from Jordan will be around 4:15
a.m., when both planets sit low on the eastern horizon. He said the
event can be observed using telescopes or binoculars and may also be
captured with mobile phone cameras mounted on a tripod.

He noted that the peak alignment occurs later at 9:10 a.m., but it
will not be visible due to daylight conditions. The phenomenon can be
tracked from around 3:00 a.m. until sunrise, when the planets
gradually fade from view.

Al-Sakaji explained that Mars will appear noticeably brighter than
Uranus, making Uranus difficult to spot without optical aid. He added
that Mars has an apparent magnitude of about +1.3, while Uranus is
much dimmer at +5.8, requiring telescopic assistance for clear
observation.

He emphasized that the event is an apparent alignment as seen from
Earth, caused by orbital geometry rather than physical proximity,
despite the vast distance between the two planets, about 314 million
kilometers for Mars and roughly 3 billion kilometers for Uranus.

He added that the Jordanian Astronomical Society will observe and
document the phenomenon from the eastern desert as part of its
ongoing efforts to monitor celestial events and promote public
interest in astronomy.

//Petra//WH