Wednesday December 25, 2024

Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation (pre-dawn)

On the mornings surrounding Wednesday, December 25, Mercury will reach its widest angle of 22\F8 west of the sun, and peak visibility, for its current morning apparition. Starting around 5:45 a.m. in your local time zone, look
for the planet shining very low in the east-southeastern sky, and climbing.
The bright star Antares will sparkle a palm's width to the planet's lower
right (or 6 degrees to the celestial SSW). In a telescope Mercury will exhibit a 64%-illuminated, waxing gibbous phase. Mercury's position above the morning ecliptic (green line) will make this a good apparition for mid-northern latitude observers, and reasonably good showing for those located south of the Equator, too. The planet will continue to be well-placed for viewing for two weeks after greatest elongation. Turn all optical aids away from the eastern horizon before the sun rises.

(Data courtesy of Starry Night
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