On July 27, Mars to come closest to Earth in 15 years

On July 27, Mars is slated to come the closest to Earth in the last 15 years; a phenomenon that will make the Red Planet appear the brightest since 2003.

Mars will be in perihelic opposition and stargazers will get a good view of the red planet.

"Since Mars and the Sun appear on opposite sides of the sky, we say that Mars is in 'opposition'," NASA explained.

"An opposition can occur anywhere along Mars' orbit. When it happens while the Red Planet is closest to the Sun (called 'perihelic opposition'), Mars is particularly close to Earth," NASA said.

Every 15 or 17 years, opposition occurs within a few weeks of Mars' perihelion - the point in its orbit when it is closest to the Sun.

This July, the Red Planet at its closest will be in the range of 35.8 million miles of Earth.

The distance between Earth and Mars varies widely every year based on the distance between the other adjacent planets.

Just about two years ago, the planets were located at opposite ends of their respective orbits, at a distance of around 47 million miles between the two.

Although it will appear the brightest on July 31, the Red Planet will appear brighter than usual from July 27 and will continue to shine brightly throughout the month of August.

Stargazers and astronomy enthusiasts with a telescope will be able to witness a spectacular view of the Red Planet's exceptional features. So, don't miss it, be prepared with a telescope.