Thursday, September 5, 2024

Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation (pre-dawn)

On Thursday, September 5, the planet Mercury will reach a maximum angle of 18 degrees from the sun, and peak visibility, for its current morning apparition. Look for the innermost planet shining brightly while it climbs the eastern pre-dawn sky between about 5:45 and 6:15 a.m. in your local time zone. In a telescope Mercury will exhibit a 47%-illuminated, waxing phase. Mercury's position above the nearly upright morning ecliptic will make this an
excellent apparition for Northern Hemisphere observers, but a so-so one for those located south of the Equator, where the ecliptic will be tipped over.

(Data Courtesy of Starry Night)
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