From SpaceWeather.com:

Mark your calendar: On Oct. 30th, Mars makes its closest approach to Earth for the next 13 years. The view of Mars through backyard telescopes is already spectacular and getting better. Amateur astronomers are monitoring a big dust storm that is "rewriting the map of Mars" from night to night. You can see Mars with the unaided eye, too. It looks like a brilliant orange star rising in the east after sunset. Visit http://spaceweather.com for pictures and sky maps.