Mercury positions
The following article deals with the constellations of Mercury , i.e. H. its positions relative to the sun and the starry sky as seen from earth.
periodicity
The orbital times around the sun between earth and Mercury are roughly 54:13, which means that in 13 earth years Mercury makes 54 orbits around the sun and overtakes our planet 41 times on the inner orbit (lower conjunction). After this period, the constellation is the original again, with a difference of 2 to 3 days.
The ratio 191: 46 shows an even more precise correspondence: In 46 years Mercury has made 191 orbits and overtaken the earth 145 times. The respective days between April to July 2003 and 2049 are e.g. B., including the transit in May, with a deviation of only four and a half hours for the maximum eastern elongation and five for the western. In contrast, the values for the analogous period in 2095 seem to deviate by 1 to 2 days, but this is also due to the fact that there are twelve leap years between 2003 and 2049 and only eleven between 2049 and 2095; one day of deviation would be justified by this alone.
Orbit inclination
Mercury's orbit is inclined by 7.00487 ° to the ecliptic. As a result, the planet is raised (in late winter) and lowered (in late summer) in relation to the sun. The highest decrease takes place between July 19th and 30th and amounts to 5.0 °, the highest increase amounts to 3.7 ° and is reached between February 11th and March 4th. This asymmetry already indicates the strongly elliptical character of the orbit of Mercury. In winter it is furthest away from the earth's orbit (around Christmas 0.678 AU) and closest to the sun ( aphelion , 0.322 AU), in summer it is closest to the earth (around the beginning of summer 0.550 AU) and farthest away from the sun ( Perihel , 0.450 AE).
The rise and fall are calculated from the 7 ° maximum rise of Mercury compared to the ecliptic, if one takes into account that the absolute rise of Mercury is on the one hand the tangent from 7 ° times the distance of the planet to the sun and on the other hand the tangent of the angle of elevation is relative to the earth times the distance from Mercury, which is just 1 AU (distance from the earth to the sun) minus the distance from mercury to the sun. This results in z. B. for July 23, 2032 (greatest decrease):
- tan (α) = tan (7 °) × 0.415 ÷ 0.585 → α ≈ 5.0 °
Transits
A transit of Mercury is only possible in May or November, near the intersection of the planet's orbit with the ecliptic . The increase or decrease during the lower conjunction must not be more than 16 angular minutes (radius of the sun disk).
Two consecutive May transits, which are rarer compared to the November transits, always occur alternately 13 years and then 33 years one after the other, which again leads to a total of 46. The number 33 comes from the approximate ratio 137: 33 between Earth and Mercury years, which stands for 104 lower conjunctions in (slightly less than) 33 years. Such a gap lies, for example, between the May transits of 2016 and 2049, but also between those of 2062 and 2095.
Visibility throughout the year
In the evening sky, when elongated to the east, Mercury can be seen from January to May, and in the morning sky when elongated to the west from August to January, with visibility being best in the middle of the respective period. The following table shows every 3rd cycle from 2020, so that the dependency on the calendar date can be clearly seen in descending order. The really decisive columns for good visibility are the columns Δ of the relative brightness. It takes into account the fact that Mercury is one of the brightest celestial bodies immediately after or before sunset or sunrise, but can sometimes not be perceived due to the residual brightness of the sky. In contrast to absolute brightness, where a small value, if possible below zero, guarantees high brightness, an absolutely high value here means good visibility. The visibility threshold with the naked eye is around 0 mag, a celestial body with 1 mag is weakly visible and one with 2 mag is acceptable. Correspondingly, the times and the associated Δ values are colored either pale yellow or more clearly yellow. Since the maximum brightnesses are not always taken at the time of maximum elongation, but in summer up to over two weeks before the maximum eastern and after the maximum western, columns are inserted on the outside for this maximum value (Δmax) and for the distance in days from the highest elongation (Δd). If the maximum relative brightness deviates significantly from that at maximum elongation, the distance in days is correspondingly large; On January 12, 2024 and December 25, 2024, however, the brightest days are exceptionally immediately before the maximum westerly elongation is reached (Δd has a minus sign), on
January 7, 2022 they are after the maximum easterly elongation (Δd has a plus sign).The following table takes into account various parameters that influence the visibility of Mercury in the sky. The height of the culmination of Mercury, ie the maximum angle in the southern sky, refers to 51.5 ° north latitude (e.g. Dortmund , Göttingen , Halle (Saale) ), where the sun is at 15 ° at noon (winter, up to 23.5 ° lowered) over 38.5 ° (= 90 ° −51.5 °) to 62 ° (summer up to 23.5 ° raised).
Best visibility |
Greatest eastern elongation | Lower conjunction | Greatest western elongation | Best visibility |
||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
date | Elong.- angle |
decision fernung |
brightness |
Duration (MU − SU) |
culmination | date | Central punkts- angle |
decision fernung |
date | Elong.- angle |
decision fernung |
Brightness ( mag ) |
Duration (SA − MA) |
culmination | ||||||||||
Δmax | Δd | absolutely | Δ | Mercury | Sun | Diff. | absolutely | Δ | Mercury | Sun | Diff. | Δmax | Δd | |||||||||||
2.0 mag | −1 | Feb 10, 2020 | 18.20 ° | 0.949 AU | −0.5 mag | 1.9 likes | 102 min | 31.2 ° | 24.1 ° | + 7.1 ° | Feb 26, 2020 | + 3.7 ° | 0.637 AU | March 24, 2020 | 27.78 ° | 0.906 AU | +0.3 mag | - | 39 min | 28.2 ° | 40.2 ° | −12.0 ° | −3.8 mag | −10 |
1.6 mag | ± 0 | Jan. 24, 2021 | 18.56 ° | 0.968 AU | −0.5 mag | 1.6 mag | 103 min | 24.8 °° | 19.3 ° | + 5.5 ° | Feb 8, 2021 | + 3.6 ° | 0.654 AU | March 6, 2021 | 27.27 ° | 0.943AE | +0.2 mag | −3.4 mag | 48 min | 22.9 ° | 38.9 ° | −16.0 ° | −2.4 mag | −9 |
1.0 mag | +1 | Jan. 7, 2022 | 19.22 ° | 0.985 AU | −0.5 mag | 1.0 mag | 97 min | 19.0 ° | 16.2 ° | + 2.9 ° | Jan. 23, 2022 | + 3.3 ° | 0.663 AU | Feb 16, 2022 | 26.28 ° | 0.976 AU | +0.1 mag | −2.1 mag | 61 min | 19.1 ° | 26.3 ° | −7.2 ° | −1.2 mag | −7 |
−0.1 mag | +3 | Dec 21, 2022 | 20.14 ° | 1.001 AU | −0.5 mag | −0.3 mag | 85 min | 14.9 ° | 15.1 * | −0.2 ° | Jan. 7, 2023 | + 2.8 ° | 0.671 AU | Jan. 30, 2023 | 24.96 ° | 1.001 AU | −0.1 mag | −0.6 mag | 79 min | 16.8 ° | 20.8 ° | −4.0 ° | −0.1 mag | −6 |
−1.8 mag | +4 | Dec 4, 2023 | 21.27 ° | 1.013 AU | −0.4 mag | -2.1 mag | 67 min | 12.9 ° | 16.3 ° | −3.4 ° | 22 Dec 2023 | + 2.1 ° | 0.676 AU | Jan. 12, 2024 | 23.50 ° | 1.013 AU | −0.2 mag | 0.5 mag | 98 min | 16.7 ° | 16.9 ° | −0.2 ° | 0.8 mag | −4 |
−3.8 mag | +4 | Nov 16, 2024 | 22.55 ° | 1.018 AU | −0.2 mag | - | 29 min | 13.1 ° | 17.5 ° | −4.4 ° | 6 Dec 2024 | + 1.4 ° | 0.678 AU | 25 Dec 2024 | 22.05 ° | 1.016 AU | −0.3 mag | 1.4 mag | 112 min | 18.3 ° | 15.2 ° | + 3.1 ° | 1.5 mag | −2 |
- | Oct 29, 2025 | 23.88 ° | 1.016 AU | −0.1 mag | - | 35 min | 15.6 ° | 24.9 | −9.3 ° | Nov 20, 2025 | + 0.5 ° | 0.678 AU | 7 Dec 2025 | 20.73 ° | 1,010 AU | −0.4 mag | 2.0 mag | 118 min | 21.8 ° | 15.9 ° | + 5.9 ° | 2.0 mag | ± 0 | |
- | Oct 12, 2026 | 25.16 ° | 1.003 AU | ± 0.0 mag | - | 29 min | 19.7 ° | 31.0 ° | −11.3 ° | Nov 4, 2026 | −0.4 ° | 0.674 AU | Nov 21, 2026 | 19.62 ° | 1.001 AU | −0.5 mag | 2.2 mag | 116 min | 26.1 ° | 18.6 ° | + 7.5 ° | 2.2 mag | ± 0 | |
- | Sep 24 2027 | 26.26 ° | 0.979 AU | +0.1 mag | - | 27 min | 25.4 ° | 38.0 ° | −12.6 ° | Oct 19, 2027 | −1.3 ° | 0.668 AU | Nov 4, 2027 | 18.77 ° | 0.988 AU | −0.5 mag | 2.2 mag | 111 min | 31.6 ° | 23.2 ° | + 8.4 ° | 2.3 mag | +2 | |
- | 6 Sep 2028 | 27.05 °° | 0.948 AU | +0.3 mag | - | 29 min | 31.7 ° | 44.7 ° | −13.0 ° | Oct 2, 2028 | −2.3 ° | 0.658 AU | Oct 18, 2028 | 18.19 ° | 0.974 AU | −0.5 mag | 2.2 mag | 98 min | 37.2 ° | 29.0 ° | + 8.2 ° | 2.3 mag | +2 | |
−3.2 mag | −20 | 19 Aug 2029 | 27.42 ° | 0.912 AU | +0.3 mag | - | 35 min | 39.0 ° | 51.1 ° | −12.1 ° | Sep 15 2029 | −3.3 ° | 0.644 AU | Oct 1, 2029 | 17.89 ° | 0.958 AU | −0.4 mag | 1.9 likes | 102 min | 43.3 ° | 35.1 ° | + 8.2 ° | 2.2 mag | +3 |
-2.1 mag | −19 | Aug 2, 2030 | 27.27 ° | 0.876 AU | +0.4 mag | - | 45 min | 45.9 ° | 56.2 ° | −10.3 ° | 29 Aug 2030 | −4.1 ° | 0.628 AU | Sep 15 2030 | 17.90 ° | 0.940 AU | −0.3 mag | 1.7 likes | 101 min | 48.8 ° | 41.4 ° | + 7.4 ° | 2.1 mag | +4 |
-1.0 mag | −16 | July 15, 2031 | 26.57 ° | 0.846 AU | +0.5 mag | −2.8 mag | 62 min | 52.9 ° | 60.0 ° | −7.1 ° | Aug 12, 2031 | −4.7 ° | 0.607 AU | 29 Aug 2031 | 18.24 ° | 0.919 AU | −0.2 mag | 1.2 mag | 80 min | 53.6 ° | 47.8 ° | + 5.8 ° | 1.8 mag | +5 |
0.1 mag | -15 | 26 Jun 2032 | 25.37 ° | 0.827 AU | +0.5 mag | −1.4 mag | 85 min | 58.8 ° | 61.8 ° | −3.0 ° | 23 Jul 2032 | −5.0 ° | 0.585 AU | 11 Aug 2032 | 18.92 ° | 0.896 AU | ± 0.0 mag | 0.7 mag | 57 min | 57.2 ° | 53.5 ° | + 3.7 ° | 1.4 mag | +7 |
1.1 mag | −11 | 7 Jun 2033 | 23.84 ° | 0.822 AU | +0.5 mag | 0.1 mag | 76 min | 62.9 ° | 61.2 ° | + 1.7 ° | Jul 4, 2033 | −4.6 ° | 0.565 AU | 25 Jul 2033 | 19.95 ° | 0.870 AU | +0.2 mag | −0.6 mag | 89 min | 59.1 ° | 58.0 ° | + 1.1 ° | 0.8 mag | +9 |
1.7 likes | –9 | May 20, | 203422.25 ° | 0.831 AU | +0.4 mag | 0.9 mag | 128 min | 63.9 ° | 58.6 ° | + 5.3 ° | Jun 14, 2034 | −3.4 ° | 0.552 AU | 7 Jul 2034 | 21.32 ° | 0.845 AU | +0.4 mag | −1.9 mag | 75 min | 58.7 ° | 61.9 ° | −3.2 ° | −0.3 mag | +11 |
2.0 mag | −7 | May 2, 2035 | 20.80 ° | 0.849 AU | +0.3 mag | 1.5 mag | 129 min | 61.8 | 53.9 ° | + 7.9 ° | May 25, | 2035−1.5 ° | 0.550 AU | Jun 19, 2035 | 22.95 ° | 0.826 AU | +0.5 mag | −3.9 mag | 57 min | 56.2 ° | 61.9 ° | −5.7 ° | −1.7 mag | +14 |
2.2 mag | −5 | Apr 13, 2036 | 19.63 ° | 0.871 AU | +0.1 mag | 1.7 likes | 121 min | 57.0 ° | 47.9 ° | + 9.1 ° | May 4, 2036 | + 0.4 ° | 0.561 AU | May 31, | 203624.65 ° | 0.819 AU | +0.5 mag | - | 41 min | 51.7 ° | 60.5 ° | −8.8 ° | −3.2 mag | +17 |
2.2 mag | −3 | March 27, 2037 | 18.80 ° | 0.894 AU | −0.1 mag | 1.8 mag | 112 min | 50.7 ° | 41.4 ° | + 9.3 ° | Apr 15, 2037 | + 2.0 ° | 0.581 AU | May 13, | 203726.17 ° | 0.826 AU | +0.5 mag | - | 34 min | 45.9 ° | 57.0 ° | −11.1 ° | - | |
2.2 mag | −4 | March 11, 2038 | 18.29 ° | 0.915 AU | −0.3 mag | 1.9 likes | 107 min | 44.1 ° | 35.0 ° | + 9.1 ° | March 27, 2038 | + 3.1 ° | 0.603 AU | Apr 24, 2038 | 27.28 ° | 0.847 AU | +0.4 mag | - | 32 min | 39.0 ° | 51.5 ° | −12.5 ° | - |
The table shows that Mercury is especially visible when it accumulates higher than the Sun, and is particularly well visible when it accumulates 5 ° and more higher. This is mainly the case in the evening sky (eastern elongation) when the days become longer in an interval of around 20 days. If Mercury is deflected, it is where the sun will not be for 20 days (360 ° ≘365 d). In the morning sky (western elongation), however, Mercury is where the sun had been around 20 days earlier, which is why decreasing day lengths during this period raise Mercury compared to the sun.
These arguments also apply analogously to Venus , only with her it is around 45 days in maximum elongation.
The absolute brightness of Mercury fluctuates around 1 mag from +0.5 mag to −0.5 mag at maximum elongation. It increases in the amount towards the upper conjunction to values around −2 mag, but this occurs at times when Mercury is too close to the sun to be seen. If the planet is significantly less than 1 AU away at maximum elongation, the time of best visibility is clearly before (eastern elongation, evening sky) or clearly after (western elongation, morning sky) the maximum elongation. If Mercury is very close to the earth during elongation, only a sickle is irradiated and the apparent brightness drops significantly. Overall, however, the apparent brightness only has a secondary influence: For example, the Δ value of Mercury in the evening sky on May 20, 2034 and May
2, 2035 is smaller than it should be from the angle difference in the cumulation between Mercury and the Sun, since its apparent brightness here assumes positive, i.e. relatively dark, values, while in the evening sky on January 12, 2024 and on December 25, 2024, the opposite case occurs, since the apparent brightness assumes negative values. Compare the colors in the table above!Mercury's orbital inclination also has its effects. On February 10, 2020, Mercury was deflected by around 18 °. As a result, he assumed the position in the sky that the sun would only take 18 days later, on February 28, which would correspond to a culmination height of 30.5 °. However, it was a little higher. On May 20, 2034, Mercury will be deflected by 22 ° and will be roughly where the sun would be 22 days later, on June 11, which would correspond to 61.6 ° culmination. However, at 63.9 ° it will be higher than the sun at 51.5. Degree of latitude (see value in bold). In an analogous way, Mercury
will culminate on December 4, 2023 lower than the Sun would be possible at this latitude.In the case of eastward elongation, the opposite occurs: the elevated Mercury is lowered and the lowered Mercury is increased, so that the seasonal course of the visibilities is somewhat buffered.
Table of constellations from 2003 to 2031
The special constellations of Mercury from 2003 to 2031 are shown below. Elongations of Mercury with the possibility of free-eyed visibility in Europe are highlighted in light yellow to dull yellow (eastern elongation offers evening visibility, western elongation morning visibility). Mercury transits are highlighted in light green. After 13 years a light dividing line is inserted, after 46 years a dark one, which sets the light one to zero and starts again 13 years later. Thus, in the table beginning in the spring of the May transit year 2003, there are always alternating behind the next light dividing line, behind the next dark one, etc .; these were continued in the table until the year 2141.
The central angle indicated next to the date of the lower conjunction has a minus sign when Mercury is south of the Sun. High plus values, as they occur mainly from January to March, mean that Mercury is higher than the sun when viewed from the northern hemisphere - but this only has a marginal influence on the period of visibility (see note below the table on the visibility of Venus ). To a certain extent, around February 10th there is a “summer summer turnaround” (Mercury has its highest level relative to the sun), while around August 10th it is “winter summer turning point” (Mercury is below the sun). The typical transit times are exactly in between November and May. Since the solar disk occupies about half a degree, or more precisely: 32 minutes, and Mercury can only neglect a very small fraction of it, i.e. its size, there is roughly a transit if the central angle is less than 16 minutes.
The relative apparent brightness Δ represents a difference value to the visibility threshold with the naked eye, which is more meaningful for Mercury than the absolute apparent brightness - which is always relatively high for Mercury , but cannot have an effect if the evening or morning sky is too bright. Values around 0 may be on the threshold, values around 1 may indicate moderate visibility and values around 2 may be more acceptable; the fields are colored accordingly. A minus sign without a number indicates particularly high minus values (<−4 mag). The value Δmax here means the highest value within the elongation period, which is not necessarily reached at maximum elongation, but up to two weeks earlier, especially with eastern elongation in and just before June and western elongation in and shortly after July ( east.) or later (west.) is reached. Which does not contradict the theorem that one can see Mercury in the evening sky until May and in the morning sky from August. If you are looking for the days with the best visibility, compare with the table in the section “Visibility over the course of the year” and compare there with similar points of similar calendar date. The days of best visibility for the maximum eastern elongation on June 4, 2020 are e.g. For example, analogous to June 7, 2033, about 11 days earlier, i.e. around May 24, 2020. For the following maximum eastern elongation on July 22, 2020, however, the days of best visibility, analogous to July 25, 2033, are around 9 Days later, around August 3, 2020. At both times of maximum elongation, however, visibility is significantly limited, as the table above indicates.
The values relate to 51.5 ° north latitude ( Dortmund , Göttingen , Halle (Saale) ) and the date, if applicable, to Dortmund (or Bern ; 7.5 ° east longitude); in southern Germany the planet appears approx. 0.3 mag brighter. → for 2020
Greatest eastern elongation |
Stationary, then retrograde |
Lower conjunction |
Stationary, then clockwise |
Greatest western elongation |
Upper conjunction |
|||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
date | Δmax | angle | date | date | angle | date | date | Δmax | angle | date |
April 16, 2003 | 2.2 mag | 19.77 ° | April 26, 2003 | May 7, 2003 | 12.0 ' | May 19, 2003 | June 3, 2003 | - | 24.43 ° | July 5, 2004 |
Aug 14, 2003 | 27.4 ° | Aug 28, 2003 | Sep 11 2003 | −3.5 ° | 19 Sep 2003 | 27 Sep 2003 | 17.9 ° | Oct 25, 2003 | ||
Dec 9, 2003 | 20.9 ° | Dec 17, 2003 | Dec. 27, 2003 | 2.3 ° | Jan. 6, 2004 | Jan. 17, 2004 | 24.0 ° | March 4, 2004 | ||
March 29, 2004 | 18.5 ° | April 6, 2004 | April 17, 2004 | 1.9 ° | April 29, 2004 | May 14, 2004 | 26.0 ° | June 18, 2004 | ||
July 27, 2004 | 27.1 ° | Aug 10, 2004 | 23 Aug 2004 | −4.3 ° | Sep 1 2004 | Sep 9 2004 | 18.0 ° | Oct 5, 2004 | ||
Nov 21, 2004 | 22.2 ° | Nov 30, 2004 | Dec 10, 2004 | 1.6 ° | Dec 20, 2004 | Dec 29, 2004 | 22.5 ° | Feb 14, 2005 | ||
March 12, 2005 | 18.3 ° | March 20, 2005 | March 29, 2005 | 3.0 ° | April 11, 2005 | April 26, 2005 | 27.2 ° | June 3, 2005 | ||
July 9, 2005 | 26.2 ° | July 23, 2005 | Aug 5, 2005 | −4.9 ° | Aug 15, 2005 | 23 Aug 2005 | 18.4 ° | Sep 18 2005 | ||
Nov 3, 2005 | 23.5 ° | Nov 14, 2005 | Nov 24, 2005 | 46.8 ' | Dec 4, 2005 | Dec 12, 2005 | 21.1 ° | Jan. 26, 2006 | ||
Feb 24, 2006 | 18.1 ° | March 2, 2006 | March 12, 2006 | 3.6 ° | March 24, 2006 | April 8, 2006 | 27.8 ° | May 18, 2006 | ||
June 20, 2006 | 24.9 ° | 4th July 2006 | July 18, 2006 | −4.9 ° | July 28, 2006 | Aug 7, 2006 | 19.2 ° | Sep 1 2006 | ||
Oct 17, 2006 | 24.8 ° | Oct 28, 2006 | Nov 8, 2006 | −7.1 ' | Nov 17, 2006 | Nov 25, 2006 | 19.9 ° | Jan. 7, 2007 | ||
Feb 7, 2007 | 18.2 ° | Feb 14, 2007 | Feb 23, 2007 | 3.7 ° | March 7, 2007 | March 22, 2007 | 27.7 ° | May 3, 2007 | ||
June 2, 2007 | 23.4 ° | June 16, 2007 | June 28, 2007 | −4.3 ° | July 10, 2007 | July 20, 2007 | 20.3 ° | Aug 15, 2007 | ||
29 Sep 2007 | 26.0 ° | Oct 12, 2007 | Oct 23, 2007 | 1.1 ° | Nov 1, 2007 | Nov 8, 2007 | 19.0 ° | Dec 17, 2007 | ||
Jan. 22, 2008 | 18.6 ° | Jan. 28, 2008 | Feb 6, 2008 | 3.6 ° | Feb 18, 2008 | March 3, 2008 | 27.1 ° | April 16, 2008 | ||
May 14, 2008 | 21.8 ° | May 26, 2008 | June 7, 2008 | −2.9 ° | June 19, 2008 | July 1, 2008 | 21.8 ° | July 29, 2008 | ||
Sep 11 2008 | 26.9 ° | Sep 24 2008 | Oct 6, 2008 | −2.0 ° | Oct 15, 2008 | Oct 22, 2008 | 18.3 ° | Nov 25, 2008 | ||
Jan. 4, 2009 | 19.3 ° | Jan. 11, 2009 | Jan. 20, 2009 | 3.2 ° | Feb 1, 2009 | Feb 13, 2009 | 26.1 ° | March 31, 2009 | ||
April 26, 2009 | 20.4 ° | May 7, 2009 | May 18, 2009 | −56.0 ' | May 30, 2009 | June 13, 2009 | 23.5 ° | July 14, 2009 | ||
Aug 24, 2009 | 27.4 ° | Sep 7 2009 | Sep 20 2009 | −3.0 ° | 28 Sep 2009 | Oct 6, 2009 | 17.9 ° | Nov 5, 2009 | ||
Dec 18, 2009 | 20.3 ° | Dec 26, 2009 | Jan. 4, 2010 | 2.7 ° | Jan 15, 2010 | Jan. 27, 2010 | 24.8 ° | March 14, 2010 | ||
April 8, 2010 | 19.3 ° | April 18, 2010 | April 28, 2010 | 58.0 ' | May 11, 2010 | May 26, 2010 | 25.1 ° | June 28, 2010 | ||
Aug 7, 2010 | 27.2 ° | Aug 20, 2010 | 3rd Sep 2010 | −3.9 | Sep 12 2010 | 19 Sep 2010 | 18.2 ° | Oct 17, 2010 | ||
Dec 1, 2010 | 21.2 ° | Dec 10, 2010 | Dec 20, 2010 | 2.0 | Dec 30, 2010 | Jan. 9, 2011 | 23.3 ° | Feb 25, 2011 | ||
March 23, 2011 | 18.6 ° | March 30, 2011 | April 9, 2011 | 2.4 ° | April 22, 2011 | May 7, 2011 | 26.6 ° | June 12, 2011 | ||
July 20, 2011 | 26.8 ° | Aug 3, 2011 | 17 Aug 2011 | −4.6 ° | 26 Aug 2011 | 3rd Sep 2011 | 18.1 ° | 28 Sep 2011 | ||
Nov 14, 2011 | 22.7 ° | Nov 24, 2011 | Dec 4, 2011 | 1.3 ° | Dec 14, 2011 | 23 Dec 2011 | 21.8 ° | Feb 7, 2012 | ||
March 5, 2012 | 18.2 ° | March 12, 2012 | March 21, 2012 | 3.3 ° | April 3, 2012 | April 18, 2012 | 27.5 ° | May 27, 2012 | ||
July 1, 2012 | 25.7 ° | July 15, 2012 | July 28, 2012 | −5.0 ° | Aug 7, 2012 | 16 Aug 2012 | 18.7 ° | Sep 10 2012 | ||
Oct 26, 2012 | 24.1 ° | Nov 7, 2012 | Nov 17, 2012 | 24.4 ' | Nov 26, 2012 | Dec 4, 2012 | 20.6 ° | Jan. 18, 2013 | ||
Feb 16, 2013 | 18.1 ° | 23 Feb 2013 | 4th March 2013 | 3.7 ° | March 16, 2013 | March 31, 2013 | 27.8 ° | May 11th, 2013 | ||
June 12th, 2013 | 24.3 ° | June 25, 2013 | July 9, 2013 | −4.8 ° | 20th July 2013 | July 30, 2013 | 19.6 ° | Aug 24, 2013 | ||
Oct 9, 2013 | 25.3 ° | Oct 21, 2013 | Nov 1, 2013 | −31.0 ' | Nov 10, 2013 | Nov 18, 2013 | 19.5 ° | Dec 29, 2013 | ||
Jan. 31, 2014 | 18.4 ° | Feb 6, 2014 | Feb 15, 2014 | 3.7 ° | Feb. 27, 2014 | March 14, 2014 | 27.6 ° | April 26, 2014 | ||
May 25, 2014 | 22.7 ° | June 7, 2014 | 20th June 2014 | −3.8 ° | July 1, 2014 | July 12, 2014 | 20.9 ° | Aug 8, 2014 | ||
21 Sep 2014 | 26.4 ° | Oct 4, 2014 | Oct 16, 2014 | −1.5 ° | Oct 25, 2014 | Nov 1, 2014 | 18.7 ° | Dec 8, 2014 | ||
Jan. 14, 2015 | 18.9 ° | Jan. 21, 2015 | Jan. 30, 2015 | 3.5 ° | Feb 11, 2015 | Feb. 24, 2015 | 26.8 ° | April 10, 2015 | ||
May 7, 2015 | 21.2 ° | 19th May 2015 | May 30, 2015 | −2.1 ° | June 11, 2015 | June 24, 2015 | 22.5 ° | 23rd July 2015 | ||
4th Sep 2015 | 27.1 ° | 17 Sep 2015 | Sep 30 2015 | −2.5 ° | Oct 8, 2015 | Oct 16, 2015 | 18.1 ° | Nov 17, 2015 | ||
Dec 29, 2015 | 19.7 ° | Jan. 5, 2016 | Jan. 14, 2016 | 3.0 ° | Jan. 25, 2016 | Feb 7, 2016 | 25.6 ° | March 23, 2016 | ||
April 18, 2016 | 2.1 mag | 19.93 ° | April 28, 2016 | May 9, 2016 | 5.4 ' | May 21, 2016 | 5th June 2016 | - | 24.18 ° | July 7, 2016 |
16 Aug 2016 | 27.4 ° | Aug 30, 2016 | 13 Sep 2016 | −3.4 ° | 21 Sep 2016 | 28 Sep 2016 | 17.9 ° | Oct 27, 2016 | ||
Dec 11, 2016 | 20.8 ° | 19 Dec 2016 | Dec 28, 2016 | 2.4 ° | Jan. 8, 2017 | Jan. 19, 2017 | 24.1 ° | March 7, 2017 | ||
April 1, 2017 | 19.0 ° | April 10, 2017 | April 20, 2017 | 1.6 ° | 2nd May 2017 | 17th May 2017 | 25.8 ° | June 21, 2017 | ||
July 30, 2017 | 27.2 ° | 13 Aug 2017 | 26 Aug 2017 | −4.2 ° | 4th Sep 2017 | Sep 12 2017 | 17.9 ° | Oct 8, 2017 | ||
Nov 24, 2017 | 22.0 ° | 3rd Dec 2017 | Dec 13, 2017 | 1.7 ° | 23 Dec 2017 | Jan. 1, 2018 | 22.7 ° | 17 Feb 2018 | ||
15th March 2018 | 18.4 ° | 23 March 2018 | April 1, 2018 | 2.8 ° | April 14, 2018 | April 29, 2018 | 27.0 ° | June 6, 2018 | ||
July 12, 2018 | 26.4 ° | July 26, 2018 | 9 Aug 2018 | −4.8 ° | 18 Aug 2018 | 26 Aug 2018 | 18.3 ° | 21 Sep 2018 | ||
Nov 6, 2018 | 23.3 ° | Nov 17, 2018 | Nov 27, 2018 | 54.6 ' | Dec 6, 2018 | Dec 15, 2018 | 21.3 ° | Jan. 30, 2019 | ||
Feb. 27, 2019 | 18.1 ° | 5th March 2019 | 15th March 2019 | 3.5 ° | March 27, 2019 | April 11, 2019 | 27.7 ° | May 21, 2019 | ||
June 23, 2019 | 25.1 ° | 7th July 2019 | July 21, 2019 | −5.0 ° | July 31, 2019 | 9 Aug 2019 | 19.1 ° | 4th Sep 2019 | ||
Oct. 20, 2019 | 24.6 ° | Oct 31, 2019 | Nov 11, 2019 | 1.3 ' | Nov 20, 2019 | Nov 28, 2019 | 20.1 ° | Jan 10, 2020 | ||
Feb 10, 2020 | 2.0 mag | 18.2 ° | Feb 17, 2020 | Feb 26, 2020 | 3.7 ° | March 9, 2020 | March 24, 2020 | −3.8 mag | 27.8 ° | 4th May 2020 |
4th June 2020 | 1.2 mag | 23.6 ° | June 18, 2020 | July 1, 2020 | −4.4 ° | July 12, 2020 | July 22, 2020 | 0.6 mag | 20.1 ° | 17th Aug 2020 |
Oct 1, 2020 | - | 25.8 ° | Oct 14, 2020 | Oct 25, 2020 | −55.4 ' | Nov 3, 2020 | Nov 10, 2020 | 2.4 mag | 19.1 ° | Dec 20, 2020 |
Jan. 24, 2021 | 1.6 mag | 18.6 ° | Jan. 30, 2021 | Feb 8, 2021 | 3.6 ° | Feb 20, 2021 | March 6, 2021 | −2.4 mag | 27.3 ° | April 19, 2021 |
May 17, 2021 | 1.7 likes | 22 ° | May 30, 2021 | June 11, 2021 | −3.1 ° | June 22, 2021 | 4th July 2021 | −0.5 mag | 21.6 ° | Aug 1, 2021 |
Sep 14 2021 | - | 26.8 ° | 27 Sep 2021 | Oct 9, 2021 | −1.9 ° | Oct 18, 2021 | Oct 25, 2021 | 2.3 mag | 18.4 ° | Nov 29, 2021 |
Jan. 7, 2022 | 1.0 mag | 19.2 ° | Jan 14, 2022 | Jan. 23, 2022 | 3.3 ° | Feb 3, 2022 | Feb 16, 2022 | −1.2 mag | 26.3 ° | April 3, 2022 |
April 29, 2022 | 2.0 mag | 20.6 ° | May 10, 2022 | May 21, 2022 | −1.2 ° | June 3, 2022 | June 16, 2022 | −1.9 mag | 23.2 ° | July 16, 2022 |
27 Aug 2022 | −3.6 mag | 27.3 ° | Sep 10 2022 | 23 Sep 2022 | −2.9 ° | Oct 1, 2022 | Oct 8, 2022 | 2.3 mag | 18 ° | Nov 8, 2022 |
Dec 21, 2022 | -0.1 mag | 20.1 ° | 29 Dec 2022 | Jan. 7, 2023 | 2.8 ° | Jan. 18, 2023 | Jan. 30, 2023 | −0.1 mag | 25 ° | March 17, 2023 |
April 12, 2023 | 2.2 mag | 19.5 ° | April 21, 2023 | May 2, 2023 | 42.1 ' | May 14, 2023 | May 29, 2023 | −3.5 mag | 24.9 ° | July 1, 2023 |
Aug 10, 2023 | −2.6 mag | 27.4 ° | 23 Aug 2023 | 6 Sep 2023 | −3.8 ° | Sep 15 2023 | 22 Sep 2023 | 2.1 mag | 17.9 ° | Oct 20, 2023 |
Dec 4, 2023 | -1.8 mag | 21.3 ° | Dec 13, 2023 | 22 Dec 2023 | 2.1 ° | Jan 2, 2024 | Jan. 12, 2024 | 0.8 mag | 23.5 ° | Feb 28, 2024 |
March 24, 2024 | 2.2 mag | 18.7 ° | April 2, 2024 | April 12, 2024 | 2.2 ° | April 25, 2024 | May 9, 2024 | - | 26.4 ° | June 14, 2024 |
July 22, 2024 | −1.5 mag | 26.9 ° | Aug 5, 2024 | Aug 19, 2024 | −4.5 ° | 28 Aug 2024 | 5th Sep 2024 | 2.0 mag | 18.1 ° | Sep 30 2024 |
Nov 16, 2024 | −3.8 mag | 22.5 ° | Nov 26, 2024 | 6 Dec 2024 | 1.4 ° | Dec 15, 2024 | 25 Dec 2024 | 1.5 mag | 22.1 ° | Feb 9, 2025 |
March 8, 2025 | 2.2 mag | 18.2 ° | March 15, 2025 | March 24, 2025 | 3.2 ° | April 7, 2025 | April 21, 2025 | - | 27.4 ° | May 30, 2025 |
July 4, 2025 | −0.3 mag | 25.9 ° | July 18, 2025 | Aug 1, 2025 | −4.9 ° | Aug 11, 2025 | Aug 19, 2025 | 1.6 mag | 18.6 ° | 13 Sep 2025 |
Oct 29, 2025 | - | 23.9 ° | Nov 9, 2025 | Nov 20, 2025 | 32.5 ' | Nov 29, 2025 | 7 Dec 2025 | 2.0 mag | 20.7 ° | Jan. 21, 2026 |
Feb 19, 2026 | 2.1 mag | 18.1 ° | Feb 26, 2026 | March 7, 2026 | 3.6 ° | March 20, 2026 | April 3, 2026 | - | 27.8 ° | May 14, 2026 |
June 15, 2026 | 0.7 mag | 24.5 ° | June 29, 2026 | July 13, 2026 | −4.8 ° | July 24, 2026 | Aug 2, 2026 | 1.1 mag | 19.5 ° | 27 Aug 2026 |
Oct 12, 2026 | - | 25.2 ° | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 4, 2026 | −22.4 ' | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 21, 2026 | 2.2 mag | 19.6 ° | Jan. 1, 2027 |
Feb 3, 2027 | 1.9 likes | 18.3 ° | Feb 9, 2027 | Feb 18, 2027 | 3.7 ° | March 3, 2027 | March 17, 2027 | −3.2 mag | 27.6 ° | April 28, 2027 |
May 28, 2027 | 1.4 mag | 22.9 ° | June 10, 2027 | June 23, 2027 | −4.0 ° | July 4, 2027 | July 15, 2027 | 0.2 mag | 20.7 ° | Aug 11, 2027 |
Sep 24 2027 | - | 26.3 ° | Oct 7, 2027 | Oct 19, 2027 | −1.3 ° | Oct 28, 2027 | Nov 4, 2027 | 2.3 mag | 18.8 ° | Dec 11, 2027 |
Jan. 17, 2028 | 1.4 mag | 18.8 ° | Jan 24, 2028 | Feb 2, 2028 | 3.5 ° | Feb 14, 2028 | Feb. 27, 2028 | −1.9 mag | 26.9 ° | April 11, 2028 |
May 9, 2028 | 1.9 likes | 21.4 ° | May 21, 2028 | June 2, 2028 | −2.4 ° | June 14, 2028 | June 26, 2028 | −1.1 mag | 22.2 ° | July 25, 2028 |
6 Sep 2028 | - | 27.1 ° | 19 Sep 2028 | Oct 2, 2028 | −2.3 ° | Oct 11, 2028 | Oct 17, 2028 | 2.3 mag | 18.2 ° | Nov 20, 2028 |
Dec 31, 2028 | 0.6 mag | 19.6 ° | Jan. 7, 2029 | Jan 16, 2029 | 3.1 ° | Jan 27, 2029 | Feb 9, 2029 | −0.7 mag | 25.7 ° | March 26, 2029 |
April 21, 2029 | 2.1 mag | 20.1 ° | May 2, 2029 | May 13, 2029 | −23.2 ' | May 25, 2029 | June 8, 2029 | −2.6 mag | 23.9 ° | July 9, 2029 |
19 Aug 2029 | −3.2 mag | 27.4 ° | Sep 2 2029 | Sep 15 2029 | −3.3 ° | 25 Sep 2029 | Oct 1, 2029 | 2.2 mag | 17.9 ° | Oct 30, 2029 |
Dec 14, 2029 | −0.7 mag | 20.6 ° | 22 Dec 2029 | Dec 31, 2029 | 2.5 ° | Jan. 11, 2030 | Jan. 22, 2030 | 0.4 mag | 24.4 ° | March 9, 2030 |
April 4, 2030 | 2.2 mag | 19.1 ° | April 13, 2030 | April 23, 2030 | 1.4 ° | May 6, 2030 | May 21, 2030 | - | 25.6 ° | June 24, 2030 |
Aug 2, 2030 | -2.1 mag | 27.3 ° | 16 Aug 2030 | 29 Aug 2030 | −4.1 ° | 8 Sep 2030 | Sep 15 2030 | 2.1 mag | 17.9 ° | Oct 11, 2030 |
Nov 27, 2030 | −2.6 mag | 21.8 ° | 6 Dec 2030 | Dec 15, 2030 | 1.8 ° | 25 Dec 2030 | Jan 4, 2031 | 1.2 mag | 22.9 ° | Feb 20, 2031 |
March 18, 2031 | 2.2 mag | 18.5 ° | March 26, 2031 | April 4, 2031 | 2.7 ° | April 18, 2031 | May 2, 2031 | - | 26.9 ° | June 8, 2031 |
July 15, 2031 | −1.0 mag | 26.6 ° | 29 July 2031 | Aug 12, 2031 | −4.7 ° | 22 Aug 2031 | 29 Aug 2031 | 1.8 mag | 18.2 ° | Sep 24 2031 |
April 16, 2049 | 2.1 mag | 19.79 ° | April 26, 2049 | May 7, 2049 | 8.7 ' | May 19, 2049 | June 3, 2049 | - | 24.40 ° | July 5, 2049 |
April 19, 2062 | 2.1 mag | 19.95 ° | April 30, 2062 | May 10, 2062 | 8.8 ' | May 23, 2062 | June 6, 2062 | - | 24.15 ° | July 8, 2062 |
April 18, 2095 | 2.1 mag | 19.81 ° | April 28, 2095 | May 8, 2095 | 5.2 ' | May 21, 2095 | June 4, 2095 | - | 24.36 ° | July 6, 2095 |
April 21, 2108 | 2.1 mag | 19.97 ° | April 30, 2108 | May 12, 2108 | 12.3 ' | May 25, 2108 | June 7, 2108 | - | 24.11 ° | July 9, 2108 |
April 19, 2141 | 2.1 mag | 19.83 ° | April 29, 2141 | May 10, 2141 | 1.8 ' | May 23, 2141 | June 6, 2141 | - | 24.33 ° | July 8, 2141 |
literature
- Multiyear Interactive Computer Almanac 1800-2050. US Naval Observatory
Remarks
- ↑ a b c Mercury positions on calsky.com
- ↑ Culminating heights of the sun calculated by Sonnengeschichte.de
- ↑ Note: The extrapolation does not work for the western elongation immediately after a May transit. According to the table above, one would expect a maximum brightness of −1.7 to −3.2 mag with an offset of 14 to 17 days, but de facto the maximum brightness in the entire cycle is below −4 mag. This is because the offset reaches its maximum here, i.e. is significantly more than 17 days, whereby the days of best visibility slip too close to the upper conjunction - which worsens visibility.
- ↑ a b relative to the ecliptic