Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation 2022
Planetary Event
On this day, Mercury reaches its greatest eastern elongation of 20.1 degrees from the Sun. This is a rare chance to see the planet in a dark sky, when it is at its highest point above the western horizon. Look to the west just after sunset and you may spot a small but noticeable bright dot – that is Mercury.
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, so it is very hard to observe. However, at special times of the year when it reaches greatest elongation, the planet can stand out if you know the right time and direction to look.
The planet orbits inside Earth’s orbit, which means it always appears close to the Sun, usually just before sunrise or just after sunset.
Elongation is the angle between the Sun and a planet as seen from Earth. For planets orbiting inside Earth’s orbit, such as Venus and Mercury, eastern elongation occurs when the planet is east of the Sun on the celestial sphere, which means it appears in the western sky in the evening, just after sunset.
If you love astronomy, don’t miss this special occasion to enjoy the beauty of the sky!