February 11, 2026: Mercury climbs higher after sunset toward greatest elongation on February 19. Jupiter shines in the east, Saturn fades, and no planet parade appears.
Tag: greatest elongation
2026, January 28: Sun, Moon, and Planets — Viewing Notes for Evening and Morning Skies
January 28, 2026: Daylight length, the gibbous moon, and planet visibility tonight. Find Jupiter, Saturn, and the moon, with notes on Mercury, Venus, Uranus, and Neptune.
2025, December 7: Mercury at Greatest Elongation; Jupiter and Moon in the West
December 7, 2025: Mercury reaches greatest elongation before sunrise. Find it low in the southeast while Jupiter and the waning gibbous moon shine in the western sky.
2025, November 20: Mercury at Inferior Conjunction: The Innermost Planet Begins Its Best Morning Appearance
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.
2025, August 20: Rare Gathering: Venus, Crescent Moon, and Pollux in Morning Planet Parade
August 20, 2025: During a rare morning display, Venus, the crescent moon, and Pollux form a compact bunch in the eastern sky. This tight grouping does not recur until 2039. Six major planets are visible before sunrise in parade of planets.
2025, June: Venus Moves into Brighter Starfields
June 2025: Morning Star Venus moves into brighter starfields as its steps eastward against the starry background.
2025, May 30: Mercury at Superior Conjunction
May 30, 2025: Mercury is at superior conjunction on the sun’s far side.
2025, March 8: Mercury at Greatest Elongation, Mars-Moon Conjunction
March 8, 2025: Mercury is at greatest elongation. Mars and the moon pair up after sundown, a Mars-Moon conjunction.
2025, March 6: Look for Mercury in Evening Planet Parade
March 6, 2025: Mercury is visible in the western sky after sunset, leading the evening planet parade that includes Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and the moon.
2025, March: Evening Star to Morning Star
March 2025: Evening Star Venus appears to drop from the evening sky, pass Earth, and emerge from bright sunlight into the morning sky as the Morning Star.