Mercury is a planet which I long for all the time. The first and the last time when I got a glimpse of Mecury was in June 2005. It's nearest planet to the Sun. It goes round the sun in about 88 days. Since it's so close to the Sun, it is very hot. Mercury can be spotted only in dawn and dusk very near to the horizon, before the sunrise and after the sunset respectively. Hunting it down is also an arduous task. Good for those who find it!
Mecury rises above the horizon most at the times of its Greatest Eastern/ Western Elongation. At greatest western elongation, Mercury rises earliest before the Sun, and at greatest eastern elongation, it sets latest after the Sun. Like the Moon, Mercury exhibits phases as seen from Earth, being “new” at inferior conjunctionand “full” at superior conjunction. The planet is rendered invisible on both of these occasions by virtue of its rising and setting in concert with the Sun in each case. If the visible magnitude of Mecury is considered it's very easy to be spotted. When in favourable condition (when it's in gibbous phase), it magnitude reaches upto -2.0. Even then it is not easily seen as its greatest angular separation from the Sun (greatest elongation) is only 28.3°.
So, have you seen Mercury? Last Friday (June 1), it had the greatest eastern elongation. But the situations didn't favour me. It was a hazy and bad sky that day. For consecutive 2 days, the situations were no different. On 4th, I had a clear sky and had my telescope ready. But, that particular portion of the sky remained covered by villain smoke and cloud. It's going down! So no luck for me? Besides, Mercury favours the inhabitants of Southern Hemisphere. I wish, I watch it this time.
But I can't see you let go such a situation. You can have this "Mercurian" opportunity. Just know how to watch it:
If you go to your terrace slightly before the sunset, you can get a glimpse of it. It's bright now. It's magnitude is >+1 . On Friday, it was +0.4 . One easy way to find it is too search lower right of very bright speck, that's Venus. Mercury is in Gemini now. It can be spotted at the north-west. It's somewhat orange.
- So, did you catch Mercury?
- Will you go to watch Mercury? Remember it is going lower everyday.
I will try once again on 5th. Hope I get it this time..
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