Topic: Mercury

[daveeb]

There will be another chance tonight although Mercury will be a bit lower in the sky as it heads towards conjunction with the Sun. 

Thanks Clive, weather conditions should be much better today 

[Clive]

If you find it with binoculars first you will then easily see it with the naked eye.  It's quite bright but because its low altitude causes a fair amount of atmospheric dimming which will only get worse each day.  When it's at a good height (this is rare) it can be the brightest "star" in the sky if Venus, Jupiter or Mars are not on the scene.

[Clive]

We have incredible skies tonight with no cloud whatsoever.  The chances of seeing Mercury are very high indeed. 

[Clive]

Draw a line from the Moon to Venus and Mercury is on that line. 

[daveeb]

Draw a line from the Moon to Venus and Mercury is on that line. 

Thanks Clive  In the end I got sidetracked but I'll find it in the end.

[Clive]

Yet again last night it was quite elusive.  The brilliantly clear skies quickly gathered thin clouds in the upper atmosphere making it difficult to see the planet.  Sometimes it would just pop out through a hole in the cloud and sometimes binoculars could find it.  Mrs Clive could see it far more than me.  I'm happy now that I've seen it for a few nights despite missing the conjunction with Venus.