Watch the Stunning Mars and Regulus Conjunction Live Online: A Free Livestream Event

Tonight, the night sky will be graced with a dazzling spectacle as the Red Planet Mars aligns with Leo's brightest star, Regulus, in a stunning celestial pairing. This event, known as a conjunction, will bring the two objects side by side in the night sky, and you can watch it live online. The conjunction between Mars and Regulus began on Monday (June 16) and will continue through Wednesday night (June 18). A conjunction occurs when two celestial bodies appear very close together from our perspective on Earth. In this case, at their closest point, Mars and the bright star will be just 0.7 degrees apart—roughly the width of your little finger held at arm's length against the night sky. To catch this dazzling show, you can tune in to a free online livestream offered by the Virtual Telescope Project using its robotic telescopes in Manciano, Italy. The livestream will begin at 3:45 p.m. EDT (1945 GMT) today (June 17) and can be watched here on Space.com courtesy of the Virtual Telescope Project or directly on their WebTV page or YouTube channel. During the conjunction, both Mars and Regulus—the 21st brightest star in the night sky—will shine at 1.4 magnitude. Although virtually equal in brightness, the two celestial objects differ dramatically in color. "They will offer a superb show, offering very different colors: Mars will bring its legendary red hue, while Regulus will shine like a blue diamond," Gianluca Masi, Virtual Telescope Project founder and astronomer, told Space.com in an email. Although Mars and Regulus will look strikingly close, it's just a trick of perspective from our viewpoint on Earth. In reality, Mars lies within our solar system about 171 million miles away, while Regulus is nearly 80 light-years from us in the constellation Leo, the Lion. Nonetheless, the pair will appear close and bright enough in the night sky to be seen by the naked eye. For a more detailed view, binoculars or a small telescope with low magnification can be used, Masi said. The best time to catch Mars and Regulus—known as the "Heart of the Lion"—will be just after twilight fades and the stars become visible under clear, dark skies. Viewers can look toward the western sky, near the constellation Leo, to spot the dazzling pair meet up. So bundle up, grab a blanket, and head outside to enjoy this celestial spectacle!