Post by Centaur on May 22, 2006 15:03:54 GMT -6
During the coming weeks Mother Nature will present northern hemisphere observers with an especially good early evening apparition of Mercury. The often elusive little sun-hugger passed behind the Sun in Superior Conjunction on 2006 May 18. It will reach Greatest Eastern Elongation of 24.9° on June 20.
As viewed from Chicago at 30 minutes after sunset, the planet will reach its greatest altitude of 12.0° in the west-northwest sky on June 14, which is also the date it will appear as a 50% illuminated “Half Mercury”. Before that date it will be seen as gibbous – afterward as a crescent.
The period of visibility will be especially long: late May through early July. Mercury will be dimming throughout the period from a stellar magnitude of –1.7 to +2.4. It will then pass between the Earth and the Sun in Inferior Conjunction on July 18.
I’ve created a graphic demonstrating the evening appearance of Mercury and the Moon 30 minutes after sunset during the period from May 23 through July 7. It’s customized for the location of the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, but should well serve most northern hemisphere observers. To see it, click:
www.curtrenz.com/astronomical.html
As viewed from Chicago at 30 minutes after sunset, the planet will reach its greatest altitude of 12.0° in the west-northwest sky on June 14, which is also the date it will appear as a 50% illuminated “Half Mercury”. Before that date it will be seen as gibbous – afterward as a crescent.
The period of visibility will be especially long: late May through early July. Mercury will be dimming throughout the period from a stellar magnitude of –1.7 to +2.4. It will then pass between the Earth and the Sun in Inferior Conjunction on July 18.
I’ve created a graphic demonstrating the evening appearance of Mercury and the Moon 30 minutes after sunset during the period from May 23 through July 7. It’s customized for the location of the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, but should well serve most northern hemisphere observers. To see it, click:
www.curtrenz.com/astronomical.html
