Horkheimer's "Looking Up" bit on PBS this evening indicated that on Tuesday evening, August 5, Mars should be about "one moon diameter" below the full moon - slightly below and "behind" the moon. On Wednesday, August 6, it should be about the same distance above and "ahead" of the moon. It should be bright enough to be easily visible about an hour after sundown on either day.

Mars will increase in brightness by quite a bit as it reaches it's closest point, but the nearness to the moon now should make it very simple for anyone interested in identifying it unambiguously.

John