{"id":31524,"date":"2022-07-19T02:01:39","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T02:01:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/telescopenights.com\/?p=31524"},"modified":"2024-01-31T02:07:37","modified_gmt":"2024-01-31T02:07:37","slug":"mercury-through-a-telescope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/telescopenights.com\/mercury-through-a-telescope\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I see Mercury Through a Telescope?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is Mercury<\/div>

Mercury is a planet of the Solar System, closet to the Sun, and is one of the four inner(...)<\/div>\" href=\"https:\/\/telescopenights.com\/glossary\/mercury\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>Mercury<\/a> visible through my telescope? What can I see of Mercury? It is the smallest planet<\/div>
A planet is a large celestial body that orbits a star. In our solar system, there are eight(...)<\/div>\" href=\"https:\/\/telescopenights.com\/glossary\/planet\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>planet<\/a> in our Solar System<\/div>
<strong>Solar System<\/strong> (def): The Earth is one of 8 planets orbiting the Sun in the Solar System. The(...)<\/div>\" href=\"https:\/\/telescopenights.com\/glossary\/solar-system\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\">solar system<\/a> and the closest to our Sun<\/div>
The star at the center of our Solar System is the Sun. The surface temperature of the Sun is(...)<\/div>\" href=\"https:\/\/telescopenights.com\/glossary\/sun\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>Sun<\/a>. Here’s what to know about seeing Mercury through a telescope<\/a>, binoculars, or with the naked-eye.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n
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Mercury the elusive planet<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

When is Mercury visible? What does Mercury look like through a telescope? To the naked-eye, Mercury appears a bright magnitude<\/div>

<strong>Magnitude<\/strong> (def): In the context of a celestial body, its brightness as a measure, either(...)<\/div>\" href=\"https:\/\/telescopenights.com\/glossary\/magnitude\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\">magnitude<\/a> –1 star<\/div>
Star (def): A spherical mass of plasma held together by gravity. There are several types of(...)<\/div>\" href=\"https:\/\/telescopenights.com\/glossary\/star\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>star<\/a>. At best, Mercury through a home telescope appears as a miniature crescent or half moon<\/div>
<strong>Moon<\/strong> (def): A natural satellite orbiting a planet or other celestial body. Earth has one moon,(...)<\/div>\" href=\"https:\/\/telescopenights.com\/glossary\/moon\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>moon<\/a>.<\/strong> The planet is only seen a couple of times a year in a two-week window, low in the sky. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on for dates…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Mercury<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mercury orbits the Sun inside our planet’s orbit and at 0.39 AU<\/div>

Astronomical unit of length. One AU is roughly equal to the distance between the Earth and the(...)<\/div>\" href=\"https:\/\/telescopenights.com\/glossary\/au\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>AU<\/a> is closer to the Sun than any other planet. It never moves beyond 28º from the Sun and so is observed within an hour or two after sunset or before the sunrise, depending on your latitude. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mercury is a little more than a third of the sphere size of the Earth<\/div>

Where we live. The third planet from the Sun in the Solar System, the Earth rotates once per(...)<\/div>\" href=\"https:\/\/telescopenights.com\/glossary\/earth\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>Earth<\/a>, and its mass is a mere 0.06 of the Earth’s. Its orbit takes about a quarter of the time of Earth’s and it has an inclination of 7º to the ecliptic<\/div>
<strong>Ecliptic<\/strong> (def): A circle representing the annual path of the Sun, apparent on the celestial(...)<\/div>\" href=\"https:\/\/telescopenights.com\/glossary\/ecliptic\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\">ecliptic<\/a> plane. Its day-length equals 175.94 Earth solar<\/div>
<strong>Solar<\/strong> (def): of the Sun. Adjective.<\/div>\" href=\"https:\/\/telescopenights.com\/glossary\/solar\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>solar<\/a> days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The planet was named after the messenger of the Roman gods, who had wings on his helmet and shoes, and as the planet ‘dashes’ around the Sun, it was considered a rightful name (source: NASA).<\/p>\n\n\n

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Roman God, Mercury<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

where and when to see Mercury<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Mercury is the most elusive of the naked-eye planets, being visible only near the western horizon at dusk or the eastern horizon at dawn for two week intervals a couple of times during the year.<\/p>\nDickinson in NightWatch<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The best time to see Mercury is on dusk or around dawn during the two-week window, that’s twice a year. I like to use dateandtime.org<\/a> to check for more exact times for what’s in the sky at my location. As well most astronomy apps for your device<\/a> will offer you this information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Windows of best time to see Mercury<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Year<\/strong><\/td>Evening Sky<\/strong><\/td>Morning Sky<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
2022<\/td>Early Jan; Late April<\/td>Mid-Oct<\/td><\/tr>
2023<\/td>Early April<\/td>Late Sep<\/td><\/tr>
2024<\/td>Late Mar<\/td>Early Sep<\/td><\/tr>
2025<\/td>Early Mar<\/td>Mid-Aug; Early Nov<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Source: NightWatch<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Other dates for the Southern Hemisphere<\/strong> in 2022 — 30 and 31 July after sunset low in the west sky. Look for it during twilight<\/div>

Twilight is the time after the Sun sets when it is still light. The Sun is below the horizon(...)<\/div>\" href=\"https:\/\/telescopenights.com\/glossary\/twilight\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>twilight<\/a>, lying just below the slither of a waxing<\/div>
<strong>Waxing<\/strong> (def): In reference to the Moon, progressively more is being illuminated and so its(...)<\/div>\" href=\"https:\/\/telescopenights.com\/glossary\/waxing\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>waxing<\/a> Moon on the 30th. This is one of the easiest times to find it,<\/strong> because you can use the Moon as a guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: It is harder to see Mercury the further away you are from the equator … at mid-latitudes especially (from the tropics to the poles). From the equator, Mercury can be seen up to two hours either after the Sun sets or before the Sun rises during the times .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to find Mercury <\/h2>\n\n\n\n