The red planet Mars and the blue star Regulus have gathered together in the pre-dawn sky for a close conjunction that will be at its best on the morning of Friday, Nov. 11th. Wake up early, look east, and behold the colors.

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© Brendan AlexanderConjunction of Mars and Regulus

On November 10th, Brendan Alexander from Killygordon, Co. Donegal, Ireland writes:
A Colourful Pair: Perhaps the highlight of the month for casual observers will be provided by the red planet. Mars is putting on a pre-dawn show along with Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation of Leo the Lion. The pair rise in the east from 01:00 onwards and will be at their highest in the south before Sunrise. Regulus is a distinctive blue-white colour, while the planet Mars sports a striking red hue. This coming together gives stargazers an opportunity to compare and contrast the stunning colours these two heavenly bodies display. The colour difference was obvious to the naked eye and binoculars will further enhance my views of the pair. Mars approached Regulus from the west at the start of the month and makes its closest approach to the tomorrow morning (11 November). However, in case cloud interfered, I grabbed the shot this morning as the pair look equally stunning from the 8th to the 14th of November.