Mercury reaches greatest expansion on June 15, bringing this elusive planet to its farthest apparent distance from the Sun in the evening sky. This makes it one of the best times of the year to see Mercury shining below Venus and Jupiter in the western sky after sunset.
As an “inner” planet, Mercury never goes farther than the horizon compared to the outer planets such as Mars jupiterWho shine before the opposition from evening till morning, when they sit face to face Sun In the sky of the earth.
Mercury’s tight orbit around the Sun causes it to move back and forth between the evening and morning sky throughout the year. Thus it often disappears from view in the brightness of our parent star. The rocky world will reach its point of greatest expansion on June 15, when it will be visible at approximately 17 degrees away from our parent star – marking one of the best times to see it in its current evening form.
How to Find Mercury on June 15th
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Look toward the western sky at sunset and you’ll find Mercury shining with Jupiter less than 20 degrees above the horizon Vesper Making a line on its upper left side. The waxing Moon’s razor-thin crescent will also be present to Mercury’s lower right, impossible to see in the brightness of the setting Sun.
Over the coming weeks, Mercury’s fixed light will move ever closer to the horizon with each passing night, leading up to its lowest solar conjunction on July 12, when it will pass between the Sun and the Sun. Earth Before changing into the morning thing.
Do you want to take amazing photos of the night sky? Then be sure to read our picks best cameras And lenses for astrophotographywith us Beginner’s guide to drawing the night sky.
editor’s Note: If you would like to share your astrophotography with Space.com readers, please send your photos, comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
