Mercury is beginning its third and final evening apparition of the year. Today the planet will be over 10° from the Sun, rising a little further each day until maximum elongation on October 26th. The planet will pass Saturn around October 4th and have a very close conjunction with the Moon on October 16th.
Category: Planet Events
The Moon and Mars
A crescent Moon will be about 4.5° from Mars tonight. Look below the Moon for a reddish, 1st magnitude object to find Mars.
The Moon and Venus
A brilliant planet and a thin crescent Moon will pair up in the dawn tomorrow morning, September 12th. Venus will be a bit under 4° from the Moon. The planet will make a nice pair with a 14% illuminated Moon. Look for the pair to rise about 03:00HST and be over 40%deg; above the horizon at sunrise.
Mercury at Superior Conjunction
Today Mercury passes through superior conjunction, passing behind the Sun as seen from the Earth. It will appear in the sunset later in the month, reaching maximum elongation on October 26th.
The Moon and Jupiter
Tonight will see the Moon and Jupiter rise together around midnight. The pair will be just under 1° apart. The 51% illuminated Moon competing with Jupiter shining at -2.4 magnitude.
Mercury Exits the Dawn
This week Mercury will be exiting the dawn sky, sliding closer to the Sun in our sky each day. It will pass through superior conjunction on September 10th, heading for an evening apparition beginning in the final days of September.
Neptune at Opposition
Neptune will pass through opposition at 00:54HST today. Observers will know that opposition places a planet nicely for convenient observation, rising at sunset, transiting near midnight, and setting at dawn.
The Moon, Mars, Saturn and Spica
A nice conjunction of a crescent Moon, Mars, Saturn and the bright star Spica will grace the evening sky tonight. The quartet will be arranged in a rough square about 4° on side. The two planets and the star will all be about 1st magnitude, with the Moon showing about 25% illuminated.
Mercury at Maximum Elongation
Today Mercury reaches maximum elongation, the furthest point it will reach from the Sun in the sky and the highest it will be above the sunrise for this morning apparition. The planet is easily visible as a bright, starlike object about 15° above the rising Sun as the twilight begins. Over the next couple weeks Mercury will slide back into the sunrise, heading for superior conjunction on September 10th.
A Thin Moon and Mercury
Tomorrow morning a thin Moon will join Mercury in the dawn. The 4.6% illuminated Moon will be a bit under 6° from the planet, with the planet closer to the sunrise. The pair will be over 15° above the horizon at sunrise.