Happy New Year! Tonight, celebrate 2015 by looking for the two innermost worlds in our solar system – Mercury and Venus. Brilliant Venus has slipped back into our evening sky after sunset. Now many are spotting it. You might also catch Mercury in the sunset direction in early January. Venus passed behind the sun in October, and Mercury passed behind the sun on December 8, 2014. That’s when these worlds transitioned from Earth’s morning to evening sky. Have you seen Venus yet? It’s the sky’s brightest planet and can withstand the glare of evening twilight. Mercury is fainter. You might catch Mercury in the sunset direction this evening around 45 to 60 minutes after sunset. If you have binoculars, bring them! Aim your binoculars at the dazzling planet Venus, the brightest starlike object in the sky, to find nearby Mercury.
Don’t give up if you don’t spot Mercury on the evening of January 1, 2015. As darkness falls for the next couple of weeks, look for Mercury to climb higher up from the sunset glare and to set later after the sun.
Not too late. Order your 2015 EarthSky Lunar Calendar today!
Watch Mercury and Venus draw closer in early January, 2015. They are closest on January 10. It’ll be their closest coupling on the sky’s dome until May 13, 2016.
By January 16, Mercury is farther from Venus – but setting later – about one and one-half hours after sundown.
On January 1, at mid-northern latitudes, Mercury sets about one hour after the sun.
One week later, around January 8, Mercury sets about one and one-third hours after sunset.
Two weeks later, on January 16, Mercury sets about one and one-half hours after sundown.
Then three weeks later, on January 24, Mercury sets about one hour after the sun at mid-northern latitudes. Mercury leaves the evening sky by the end of the month, leaving Venus behind to shine brightly after sunset for much of the coming year.
Be sure to circle January 10 on your calendar. That’s when Mercury and Venus meet up to showcase their closest coupling on the sky’s dome until May 13, 2016. The width of your little finger at an arm length will cover over both worlds. Keep in mind, however, that these two worlds will still be plenty close together for a good week before and after their closest showing on the evenings of January 10. In other words, if you have binoculars, aim them at Venus to reel in Mercury!
An unobstructed horizon in the direction of sunset will be to your advantage for finding Mercury (and Venus). Although Mercury pales next to Venus, Mercury still shines on par with the sky’s brightest stars. The evening twilight may obscure the Mercury’s luster, but you’ll be surprised at how bright Mercury can appear once you find it. If you can’t see Mercury with the eye alone, you might be looking too soon after sunset. Or there might be thin clouds and haze in the direction to your horizon. Try your luck with binoculars. If still no luck, try again in the days ahead, for you’ll have several weeks to catch Mercury, the innermost planet of the solar system.
Mercury wins superlatives for being the solar system planet with the shortest year – yet the longest day. In fact, a day on Mercury lasts twice as long as its year. On Mercury, one day equals 176 Earth-days while one year is only half that long: 88 Earth-days.
Spencer Mann in Atascadero, California wrote, “As I was watching the sunset and photographing Venus, I was surprised when a glint caught my eye near the hills in the distance. When I zoomed in with my camera, I realized that Mercury was there. It was the first I had seen Mercury since August when it was in the morning sky.” Thanks, Spencer!
Bottom line: On these January 2015 evenings, look for the planet Mercury to pop out over the sunset point on the horizon as dusk is ebbing toward darkness. If you have them, aim binoculars at the dazzling planet Venus to spot nearby Mercury. Good luck!
Looking for a sky almanac? EarthSky recommends…
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1zTqZB1
Happy New Year! Tonight, celebrate 2015 by looking for the two innermost worlds in our solar system – Mercury and Venus. Brilliant Venus has slipped back into our evening sky after sunset. Now many are spotting it. You might also catch Mercury in the sunset direction in early January. Venus passed behind the sun in October, and Mercury passed behind the sun on December 8, 2014. That’s when these worlds transitioned from Earth’s morning to evening sky. Have you seen Venus yet? It’s the sky’s brightest planet and can withstand the glare of evening twilight. Mercury is fainter. You might catch Mercury in the sunset direction this evening around 45 to 60 minutes after sunset. If you have binoculars, bring them! Aim your binoculars at the dazzling planet Venus, the brightest starlike object in the sky, to find nearby Mercury.
Don’t give up if you don’t spot Mercury on the evening of January 1, 2015. As darkness falls for the next couple of weeks, look for Mercury to climb higher up from the sunset glare and to set later after the sun.
Not too late. Order your 2015 EarthSky Lunar Calendar today!
Watch Mercury and Venus draw closer in early January, 2015. They are closest on January 10. It’ll be their closest coupling on the sky’s dome until May 13, 2016.
By January 16, Mercury is farther from Venus – but setting later – about one and one-half hours after sundown.
On January 1, at mid-northern latitudes, Mercury sets about one hour after the sun.
One week later, around January 8, Mercury sets about one and one-third hours after sunset.
Two weeks later, on January 16, Mercury sets about one and one-half hours after sundown.
Then three weeks later, on January 24, Mercury sets about one hour after the sun at mid-northern latitudes. Mercury leaves the evening sky by the end of the month, leaving Venus behind to shine brightly after sunset for much of the coming year.
Be sure to circle January 10 on your calendar. That’s when Mercury and Venus meet up to showcase their closest coupling on the sky’s dome until May 13, 2016. The width of your little finger at an arm length will cover over both worlds. Keep in mind, however, that these two worlds will still be plenty close together for a good week before and after their closest showing on the evenings of January 10. In other words, if you have binoculars, aim them at Venus to reel in Mercury!
An unobstructed horizon in the direction of sunset will be to your advantage for finding Mercury (and Venus). Although Mercury pales next to Venus, Mercury still shines on par with the sky’s brightest stars. The evening twilight may obscure the Mercury’s luster, but you’ll be surprised at how bright Mercury can appear once you find it. If you can’t see Mercury with the eye alone, you might be looking too soon after sunset. Or there might be thin clouds and haze in the direction to your horizon. Try your luck with binoculars. If still no luck, try again in the days ahead, for you’ll have several weeks to catch Mercury, the innermost planet of the solar system.
Mercury wins superlatives for being the solar system planet with the shortest year – yet the longest day. In fact, a day on Mercury lasts twice as long as its year. On Mercury, one day equals 176 Earth-days while one year is only half that long: 88 Earth-days.
Spencer Mann in Atascadero, California wrote, “As I was watching the sunset and photographing Venus, I was surprised when a glint caught my eye near the hills in the distance. When I zoomed in with my camera, I realized that Mercury was there. It was the first I had seen Mercury since August when it was in the morning sky.” Thanks, Spencer!
Bottom line: On these January 2015 evenings, look for the planet Mercury to pop out over the sunset point on the horizon as dusk is ebbing toward darkness. If you have them, aim binoculars at the dazzling planet Venus to spot nearby Mercury. Good luck!
Looking for a sky almanac? EarthSky recommends…
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1zTqZB1
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