MERCURY
EVENING APPARITION OF MERCURY – MAY-
The elusive little planet Mercury has commenced its apparition as an evening star following its superior conjunction behind the Sun on 2013 MAY 11. This is its finest apparition of the year for observers in the northern hemisphere, and equally good for those in the southern hemisphere.
All dates given here are based on early evening North American Central Time. Mercury will achieve dichotomy (50% illuminated like a Half Moon) on JUN 06. Before then it will appear gibbous and afterward a crescent. By the standard of 30 minutes after sunset, it will attain its highest altitude of 12.6° for Chicagoland observers on JUN 07. Mercury will reach its greatest eastern elongation of 24.3° from the Sun on JUN 12. Apparent retrograde motion will commence on JUN 25. While decreasing in brightness, it will then fall to inferior conjunction between Earth and Sun on JUL 09.
Mercury will appear to pass near other celestial bodies on the following dates: Aldebaran on MAY 19, Venus on MAY 24, Jupiter and Elnath on MAY 26, the Moon on JUN 10, Pollux on JUN 18 and Venus again on JUN 19.
© Curt Renz
Transit of Mercury -
Preview of the apparent path of Mercury across the Sun in horizontal (alt-
