When earthdwellerPatrick Vantuynewondered what his home planet’ssingle large moon would look like ifviewed from Mars on July 17, heavailed himself of the JPLSolar System Simulator.
Of course, when viewed from Earth on that date (tomorrow), the gibbousMoon will pass tantalizingly closeto Mars for observers in North,Central, and South America and will actuallypass in front of (occult)the Red Planet for some locations, including much of Florida.
Vantuyne’s effortswere rewarded with this remarkable simulated view ofthe crescent Moon against the background of a darkened Earth.
From the martian vantagepoint, the lunar orb is seen just below thetip of the Florida peninsula at 8:05 GMT.
Observers on planet Earth who want to watch the correspondingMoon/Mars showin tomorrow’s predawn sky should note the viewing times forselected cities.