The best time to observe Mars with a telescope is beginning about a month before opposition (which occurs once during the two year cycle) and ending about a month after opposition. The rest of the time, it is difficult to see any detail. Every 15 years there is an exceptionally good opposition; the last one was in 2003. The 2003 opposition was even better than most, the last time Mars was this close to the Earth was about 100,000 years ago, the next time it will be this close will be in 284 years.
Details that are easy to see in a telescope are the polar caps and the maria. Other details, such as the moons, are harder to see. The sketches on this page were drawn during the Great Mars Opposition of 2003.
Other Planets