November 20, 2025: Mercury passes between Earth and the Sun today, marking its inferior conjunction. The speedy planet soon climbs into the morning sky for its best pre-dawn appearance of the year, peaking December 7 in the east-southeast below the Scorpion’s claws.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:47 a.m. CST; Sunset, 4:26 p.m. CST. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.
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Mercury is at inferior conjunction today, between Earth and the Sun. The speedy, innermost planet revolves around the Sun and passes this configuration with Earth and Sun every 116 days.
Best Morning Appearance of the Year
The planet left a disappointing appearance for northern hemisphere sky watchers and now sprints into the eastern morning sky for its best morning appearance of the year, peaking on December 7. It reaches greatest elongation, 20.4° from the Sun. On that morning, 45 minutes before sunrise, Mercury is 10° up in the east-southeast, below the Scorpion’s claws, Zubenelgenubi and Zubeneschamali. Look for Spica, Virgo’s brightest star, to the upper right.
At mid-northern latitudes, Mercury is never seen in a dark sky. It rises into morning twilight or sets during evening twilight. It is never opposite the Sun but seems to hug the central star, always appearing close to it.
Moon Joins Scene
Mercury brightens as it retreats into sunlight, appearing lower in the sky. On December 17, the Moon joins the scene.
As the year nears its close, Mercury puts on its best morning display of the year in the east-southeast. Find an observing spot with a clear horizon in that direction.
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