Centaur
05-April-2009, 06:17 PM
The elusive little planet Mercury has begun its apparition as an evening star following its superior conjunction behind the Sun on 2009 MAR 30. This should be a fine one for observers in the northern hemisphere.
I’ve created two graphics illustrating Mercury’s evening apparition as viewed from Chicagoland and Sydney. They should well serve observers in the two respective hemispheres. They can be seen at: http://www.curtrenz.com/astronomical.html
All dates given here are based on CST. Mercury will achieve dichotomy (50% illuminated like a Half Moon) on APR 22. Before that date it will be gibbous and afterward a crescent. It will reach its greatest altitude at 30 minutes after sunset from Chicagoland on APR 25 at 13.3°. The planet will achieve its greatest eastern elongation of 20.4° from the Sun on APR 26. While decreasing in brightness, it will then fall to inferior conjunction between Earth and Sun on MAY 18.
Mercury will appear to pass near the Pleiades cluster on APR 30 while 1.4° south of Alcyone. Mercury will not appear in the vicinity of any other planets during this apparition. For North American observers, the waxing crescent Moon will appear to the west of Mercury on APR 25 and east of it on APR 26.
Photos and descriptions of Mercury during the current evening apparition would be welcome additions to this thread.
I’ve created two graphics illustrating Mercury’s evening apparition as viewed from Chicagoland and Sydney. They should well serve observers in the two respective hemispheres. They can be seen at: http://www.curtrenz.com/astronomical.html
All dates given here are based on CST. Mercury will achieve dichotomy (50% illuminated like a Half Moon) on APR 22. Before that date it will be gibbous and afterward a crescent. It will reach its greatest altitude at 30 minutes after sunset from Chicagoland on APR 25 at 13.3°. The planet will achieve its greatest eastern elongation of 20.4° from the Sun on APR 26. While decreasing in brightness, it will then fall to inferior conjunction between Earth and Sun on MAY 18.
Mercury will appear to pass near the Pleiades cluster on APR 30 while 1.4° south of Alcyone. Mercury will not appear in the vicinity of any other planets during this apparition. For North American observers, the waxing crescent Moon will appear to the west of Mercury on APR 25 and east of it on APR 26.
Photos and descriptions of Mercury during the current evening apparition would be welcome additions to this thread.