All articles tagged with #greatest elongation
Mercury reaches its greatest elongation of about 17 degrees from the Sun on June 15, making it one of this year’s best opportunities to spot the inner planet after sunset in the western sky, with Jupiter and Venus nearby and a slim Moon also visible; after this date Mercury will slowly fade toward the horizon, heading toward an inferior conjunction on July 12 and a shift to the morning sky later in the year.
The planet Mercury will reach its greatest elongation from the sun on Friday, making it more easily visible from Earth. This event will occur at around 10 a.m. EST, with Mercury appearing in the constellation of Sagittarius. Following this, Mercury will continue to brighten until February before slipping back into the glare of the sun. Skywatchers interested in observing Mercury or other celestial objects can refer to guides on telescopes, binoculars, and astrophotography.
Mercury will reach its highest point in the evening sky tonight (April 11), with the closest planet to the sun shining brightly. During its high ascent over Earth, Mercury will be shining at a magnitude of -0.0, according to In the Sky. That's quite bright for the little planet, though it will still be tough to see. Skywatchers should make an effort, however, for good chances to see Mercury aren't terribly common; because Mercury's orbit brings the planet close to the sun, it is normally lost in the glare from our star.