Stargazing alert: Mercury at its zenith this week, here’s how to spot it

This week is the best time to spot the planet Mercury. It will be both at its highest point in the sky and at the farthest apparent distance from the Sun. Here is how you can spot the planet.

This colourful image of Mercury was created using data from NASA's Messenger probe, which orbited the planet between 2011 and 2015. (NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington)

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Mercury was at its highest point in the night sky on Wednesday, April 12, and will be near that position throughout the . Interestingly, the planet closest to the Sun will be at its greatest distance from the Sun from our viewpoint.

On the night of April 12, Mercury was visible at an angle of 18 degrees above the horizon in the west, according to In The Sky. Also, both Uranus and Venus were present in the sky above Mercury.

Interestingly, on the same day, Mercury was at its “greatest elongation” from the Sun. This meant that it was as far as Mercury could get from the Sun from our viewpoint. Greatest elongations are typically the best times to observe inner planets, including Mercury. This is because they are usually farthest from the Sun’s glare at the time.

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How to watch Mercury

According to EarthSky, Mercury was at its greatest elongation on Wednesday, April 12, but it will continue to be in a relatively high position in the night sky throughout the week.

On April 12, In The Sky says that Mercury burned bright with a stellar magnitude of 0. This meant that it should have appeared brighter than the North Star. But it will not be the most prominent celestial object at sunset when viewed from New Delhi, so it might be a little tricky to view.

Mercury’s predicted position in the night sky, when viewed from New Delhi, at 6.56 PM IST on April 12 (In the Sky)

To get the best view of Mercury, get away from the city lights and go to a place with minimal air and light pollution. Rural areas away from densely-populated towns and cities are the best for this.

Then, use a pair of binoculars or if available, a telescope. When viewed with a telescope, Mercury will be in a waxing crescent phase where about 40 per cent of the planet will be illuminated.

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