Wednesday morning is the closest you will see Mars and Saturn to one another until late August. Last week, Mars halted its direct eastern motion against the background of stars and started its retrograde loop by beginning a backward or western motion. This occasional westward or backward movement is actually an illusion caused by the way Earth and Mars orbit the sun. Over the next few months, Mars will continue to move backward through Scorpius and Libra until it reaches its western stationary point on June 30, after which it resumes direct (west to east) motion. The Red Planet will catch up to the Ring World on Aug. 23. That evening, Mars will be part of an eye-catching vertical alignment with Saturn and Antares over the southwestern horizon.

Look for our two morning stars in Scorpius Wednesday at 5 a.m. Brighter Mars will sit about 25 degrees above the south-southwestern horizon, 7 degrees to the right of Saturn and 5 degrees above and to the right of Antares.

First Published: April 26, 2016, 4:00 a.m.