Mars is currently at its closest point to Earth in over 15 years, a position last recorded in 2003, according to NASA. The Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles will host a webcast with expert commentary on this celestial event. Mars will be visible low in the southwest horizon, with the moon shining to its upper left. The closest approach occurs at 3:45 AM EDT (0745 GMT) when Mars and Earth will be separated by only 35.8 million miles (57.6 million kilometers). This proximity follows the 'opposition' of Mars, which occurred on July 27, when Mars, Earth, and the sun were aligned with Earth in the middle.

Mount Agung in Bali erupted on July 2, 2018, at 21:04 WITA, with an ash column height of approximately 2,000 meters above the peak. The eruption was characterized as Strombolian with a loud boom and fiery lava ejections reaching 2 km from the crater. The current status of Mount Agung is Level III (Alert) with recommendations for the public to avoid the danger zone within a 4 km radius of the crater peak and to be cautious of secondary hazards such as lahars, especially during the rainy season.