I don’t know how to post it on FR astronomy thread but action occurring closer to home is in August when Mars will be closest to Earth. Next time Mars will come close is 2287. According astronomers can only be certain that Mars hasn’t come this close to Earth i the last 5,000 years but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again. It will culiminate with on August 27 when Mars will be 34,649,589 miles from Earth.
You’ve been mislead.
The nearest approach of Mars in quite some time was on 27 Aug 2003.
Not this year.