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[Centaur]

Mercury is about to commence a fine apparition as an evening star for northern hemisphere observers. If you’ve never seen the Sun hugging planet, here’s your chance to view it for a few weeks after sunset in the western sky.

Mercury passed through Superior Conjunction on the other side of the Sun on 2006 JAN 26 at 22 hr UT. It will achieve Greatest Eastern Elongation of 18º08’ from the Sun on FEB 24 at 05 hr UT, before passing between the Earth and Sun in Inferior Conjunction on MAR 12 at 03 hr UT. For North Americans on FEB 28, Mercury will serve as a guidepost for spotting the one-day-old Moon.

To see my graphic demonstrating Mercury’s entire apparition, click: www.curtrenz.com/astronomical.html

[Al Degutis]

A Sky Insight moderator, StarHopper44, posted the following:

A recent article I read stated that one of the least observed Solar System objects is.....take a guess?
Tiny Mercury! Yes, even far-off Pluto is viewed more frequently - according to them. They estimated that only about one amateur astronomer in seven has ever seen Mercury! Well, friends, now's the time to right that wrong! <G>

I've been doing a bit of 'modeling' with SkyTools. (Gawd I luv this program!) Mercury's orbit is presently at a very high angle - placing it about as well above the horizon as you'll see it, & it's quickly approaching maximum eastern elongation, with the ideal time to spot it (beginning Feb 14th) at about 6pm EST (Sun sets @ 5:50pm). It reaches max elongation only 8 days later on the 23rd - but sun sets a few mins later; ~6:05pm; and the prime period will extend thru ~March 3rd when the sun slips below the horizon ~6:12pm (all times Eastern Std). There will still be a very few 'OK' days afterwards, but each day Mercury is farther from elongation hence nearer Sol which is also
setting a little later each day, so the glare will soon wash out the view again.

Tho speedy Mercury circuits Sol every 88 days, about 4 times during the course of a year...and reaches maximum elongation (E&W) twice each lap -- even so this is still a fairly rare, or at least infrequent occurance....it's a 'positional circumstance' thing. For instance, it won't present itself in this very favorable positioning again until late June 2006, when the Sun is setting around 7:30pm.
Want to gamble with the weather? <G>

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

I have been fortunate to observe Mercury a handful of times now, in crescent phase and pin point, and I eagerly want to show those around me to come catch a quick look at elusive Mercury.

Although not really impressive in the eyepiece, after I tell the public they are looking at an object only a small handful of people have seen, they smile and want to look again... ;D

Let's catch this speedy planet now...just for the hell of it!...

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Great Mercury Viewing This Week

Here is some additional info on the Mercury viewing...


Tue, 21 Feb 2006 - Since it's often hidden by the glare of the Sun, you don't get many chances to see Mercury. Well, now's your chance. From now until March 1, Mercury will be clearly visible in the west as twilight turns to night. Friday, February 24th will be the best night to look for Mercury, and a thin crescent moon will be close to the planet on March 1st. NASA's Messenger spacecraft is on its way to Mercury, and is expected to arrive in 2008. Until then, make sure you get outside, look west, and enjoy a view of this tiny planet.

Mercury is elusive because it spends most of its time hidden by the glare of the sun. This week is different. From now until about March 1st, Mercury moves out of the glare and into plain view. It's not that Mercury is genuinely farther from the sun. It just looks that way because of the Earth-sun-Mercury geometry in late February. A picture is worth a thousand words: diagram.

Friday, Feb. 24th, is the best day to look (sky map); that's the date of greatest elongation or separation from the sun. Other dates of note are Feb 28th (sky map) and March 1st (sky map) when the crescent moon glides by Mercury.