Mercury Comes into View

Mercury is moving higher in the west and we can start to see it at dusk.  Mercury is the hardest planet to find in the sky with the unaided eye. 

 Mercury’s orbit takes the planet on average 36 million miles from the Sun.  When we look at Mercury from Earth it only gets 20 degrees away from the Sun. Use your fist to measure ten degrees in the sky by holding your arm out straight.  Mercury’s year is only 59 Earth days long, which means Mercury spends most of the time in the glare of the sun. That makes Mercury one hard planet to see in the sky. Right now Mercury is found in the glow of dusk.  April 16 Mercury was setting with the Sun. as Mercury moves away from the Sun, Mercury will be higher in the sky and set later than the sun.

You can view Mercury during the next few weeks. Here is how.

May 6 - Mercury and the crescent Moon will look like they are next to one another in the sky.

May 15 - Mercury will be as farthest from the Sun.

May 16 - you can watch Mercury start moving back toward the Sun.

June 5 - Mercury will by setting with the Sun, and not visible.

A few days after June 5 look for Mercury in the early morning sky, as the little planet speeds around the Sun.