The Lunar Occultation of Mars

By Jeremy Gunter

On the night of January 13th, several people across Cedar City came to the SUU-owned

Observatory to watch a once-in fourteen-year event known as the lunar occultation of Mars. This occurs when the moon passes in front of Mars in the night sky. It provides a beautiful sight similar to how the sun sets on Earth's horizon. The SUU Ashcroft Observatory is run by the SUU professor of Physics Dr. Cameron Pace. It is open to the public every Monday night as long as the sky is clear. The occultation ended up landing on Monday, which made a great contrast compared to the previous public nights. The Ashcroft Observatory hours depend on the time of the year. They announce when they open every Monday on their Facebook and Instagram pages.