MERCURY will reach its highest point above the western horizon tomorrow.
This is great news for stargazers as the planet will also be so shiny you should be able to spot it with the naked eye.
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Mercury actually reached elongation over the weekend.
That meant it was far enough away from the Sun’s glare to been seen with the naked eye.
However, if you missed the chance to see Mercury at its brightest you may still be able to see it as it’s highest on January 26.
This is, of course, weather dependent but if you have clear skies and an open view there shouldn’t be a problem.
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Look towards the western horizon around an hour after sunset.
Mercury will be 18 degrees east of the sun till January 27 but will become fainter as the days go on.
The planet will shine five times brighter and to the right of nearby star Fomalhaut which is found in the Piscis Austrinus constellation.
Sometimes smartphones can be useful to point out the location of constellations and planets in the night sky.
You can try downloading one of these apps to point yourself in the right direction.
Make sure you give your eyes a break from your phone afterwards though, stargazing is best when your eyes have adjusted to the dark.
Stargazing apps for Android and iPhone include: SkyView Lite, Star Tracker and Star Walk 2.
Some apps are free but a lot of them charge so it depends if you want to put up with adverts or not.
It’s advisable to read the reviews of an app and look at how many people have rated it before downloading.
Mercury facts
Here’s what you need to know…
- Mercury is the smallest planet
- Mercury has been known to humanity since ancient times and it is not known who discovered it
- It has no moons or rings
- It is the closest planet to the Sun
- It is the second hottest planet after Venus despite being closer to the Sun
- Mercury has more craters than any other planet
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
