Look at the sky – Mercury will be visible to the naked eye. When do you watch?

The solar system hides more than one secret I wrote recently about the high probability of a second Earth in this space in the past. Planets are an interesting research topic, especially when it comes to the lesser known. A few days ago, we were able to see pictures of Mercury. Soon, there will be an opportunity to see the planet with the naked eye. Mercury will appear “in the sky.”

Mercury secrets

Mercury is the closest to the sun and the smallest planet in the solar system. It only takes a planet to orbit the star About 88 days, compared to 365 Earth days. Since both planets (Mercury and Earth) revolve around the star, Mercury oscillates from east to west as we observe from our planet.

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Because Mercury is closer to the Sun, it is often obscured by the star’s absolute brightness, preventing it from being seen by skywatchers. But for a brief cosmic moment in October, this hot little planet will be visible in our skies as never before the so-called point of the Sun’s westernmost extension. This is done three times a year, and the planet’s greatest elongation is 22 days before and after Mercury and Earth are on the same side of the Sun.

This means that it will be farthest from our common parent star – thus the point at which it is most visible to us Earthlings. but The chances of discovering Mercury in October do not stop there.

Planets visible to the naked eye

Some planets are nearly permanent elements in the night sky. Venus, the second closest planet to the sun, is not only the brightest ball in the night sky behind the moon, it can also be seen in the evenings from April to December, for example. Jupiter is also a frequent visitor, and appears at night as (usually) The third brightest sphere after the moon and Venus.

Observations of the planet closest to the Sun are rare – Mercury’s proximity to the star and its small size mean that sunlight tends to blur a small planet’s vision. Therefore, the moment of the Greater Western Extension and the weeks and days on either side of it provide a special opportunity for stargazers and planetary enthusiasts to get out and research.

Mercury as seen from Earth

Mercury is so close to the sun that the best time to view it is not in the evening or in the middle of the night, but Early dawn. Sky watchers expect Mercury to glow in the early morning sky from mid to late October. It is best to look an hour before sunrise.

Although the planet will be visible during the second half of October, the best time to try to spot it is when it is at its westernmost elongation when it is further from the sun.

The planet will reach this moment October 25 2021 Before sunrise around 6 am. No matter where you are on Earth, you should look toward the northeastern horizon. The planet will be visible to the naked eye!

Source: reverse