Early risers will catch a spectacular sight in the predawn hours of Aug. 9, as the slender crescent moon shines close to the red light of Mars among the stars of the constellation Taurus.
The 17%-lit crescent moon will rise around four hours before sunrise, or shortly after 2 a.m. for viewers in New York. The Red Planet will be visible as a steady crimson light less than 5 degrees to the lower right of the moon — close enough to share the field of view of a pair of 10x50 binoculars.
Both Mars and the moon will appear to race one another over the eastern horizon in the hours that follow, with the Red Planet gaining a slight lead over its competitor as dawn breaks.
The stars of the constellation Orion will glitter to the right of the pair throughout the race, while the Bull of Tauru...
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