The first full moon of the year will glide through the sky on Monday night. For stargazers in some parts of the world, it will also pass in front of Mars, which is brighter red than usual, in an event known as a lunar occultation.

But that’s not all the January sky has to offer. A new comet, expected to be the brightest of the year, will make its closest approach to the sun on Monday – although it will be difficult to spot, at least in the northern sky.

What is a lunar occultation?

According to NASA, a lunar occultation occurs when the moon passes in front of an object, such as a distant planet, that appears much smaller in the sky. An occultation is similar to a solar eclipse – when the moon blocks the sun – but is much less grand.

Lunar occultations can occur several times a year and during each phase of the moon. Earlier this month, a crescent moon was visible to people in Europe, North Africa and parts of Greenland and Russia as it passed over Saturn.

What’s special about this one?

The closer Mars gets to Earth, the larger and brighter it appears in the night sky. It approaches the so-called opposition, which occurs when Mars is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. During opposition, Mars is closer to us than usual and its surface is fully illuminated by the Sun as seen from our world, providing spectacular views of the Red Planet.

Mars is in opposition every 26 months. This year, it will reach resistance on January 15th at 9:32 p.m. Eastern Time. But since November the planet has become increasingly bright.

How can I see the lunar occultation?

Only people in North America and parts of Africa will be able to see the moon obscure Mars on Monday. Elsewhere, Mars will simply appear near the Moon, a celestial event known as a conjunction. The occultation lasts more than an hour in some places and is visible to the naked eye, although binoculars or a telescope improve visibility.

The event starts at different times depending on where you live. According to a map published by the International Occultation Timing Association, Mars will disappear behind the moon on Monday at 6:21 p.m. in Seattle, 9:16 p.m. in Washington, DC and 9:21 p.m. in New York City, all local times. Observers in Montreal will see the occultation begin at 9:25 p.m. and in Accra, Ghana, at 4:53 a.m., before sunrise on Tuesday.

What about the comet?

Comet ATLAS, named C/2024 G3 by astronomers, was discovered last April by the asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System and shares the name of many other comets discovered by the telescope network, including Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which shot through the sky last October.

Like all comets, C/2024 G3 is a frozen chunk of material left over from the formation of the solar system and begins to melt as it approaches the sun. On January 13, it will reach perihelion, or closest approach, to the Sun, coming within 8.4 million miles (13.4 million kilometers) of the Sun’s surface.

Some comets disintegrate due to the heat. But if they survive the encounter, they are expected to be brightest at perihelion – although they may be difficult to see due to their proximity to the sun.

How can I see comet ATLAS?

Some observers in the Northern Hemisphere spotted comet ATLAS, a fuzzy dot with a short tail, low on the eastern horizon before sunrise. Due to its altitude and the light of dawn, it is difficult to see, especially without binoculars or a telescope.

Closer to perihelion, people with a clear view of the western horizon may be able to catch the comet in the evening near the setting sun. Interactive star maps like these can help you figure out where and when to look.

If comet ATLAS survives perihelion, it will move into the southern hemisphere sky in the second half of January and will be visible there in the evening after sunset. As the comet moves away from the sun, it rises higher in the sky, but also becomes darker each day.