The planet Mercury
© NASA/JPL/MESSENGER
Finder chart
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From Seattle , Mercury is difficult to observe as it will appear no higher than 11° above the horizon. It will become visible around 21:15 (PDT) as the dusk sky fades, 11° above your north-western horizon. It will then sink towards the horizon, setting 1 hour and 58 minutes after the Sun at 22:37.
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|
Name
Mercury
|
Object Type
Inferior Planet
|
Current Position
| Constellation: | Taurus |
| Magnitude: | -0.09 (V) [1] |
| Absolute mag (H): | -0.65 [1] |
| Slope parameter (n): | 2.00 [1] |
| Right ascension: | 04h48m [2] |
| Declination: | +24°53' [2] |
| Distance: | 0.92 AU 7.64 lightmin [2] |
Orbital Elements [2]
| Semi-major axis: | 0.39 AU |
| Eccentricity: | 0.205631 |
| Inclination: | 7.00° |
| Longitude ascending node: | 48.33° |
| Argument of perihelion: | 29.12° |
| Epoch of elements: | 01 January 2000 |
| Mean Anomaly at epoch: | 174.79° |
Derived quantities
| Perihelion: | 0.31 AU |
| Aphelion: | 0.47 AU |
| Orbital period: | 0.24 years |
Sources
| [1] | Robin M. Green, Spherical Astronomy, 1985, ISBN 0-521-31779-7 |
| [2] | Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac. 1992. K. P. Seidelmann, Ed., p.316 |
Visibility from Seattle
All times shown in Seattle local time.
Events
| 18 Apr 2021 | – Mercury at superior solar conjunction |
| 26 Apr 2021 | – Mercury at perihelion |
| 11 May 2021 | – Mercury at dichotomy |
| 16 May 2021 | – Mercury at highest altitude in evening sky |
| 17 May 2021 | – Mercury at greatest elongation east |
| 09 Jun 2021 | – Mercury at aphelion |
| 10 Jun 2021 | – Mercury at inferior solar conjunction |
| 04 Jul 2021 | – Mercury at greatest elongation west |
Printable finder charts
