All articles tagged with #elongation
On October 29, Mercury will reach its greatest eastern elongation, making it one of the best evenings to observe the planet as it appears farthest from the sun in the twilight sky, visible near the southwestern horizon shortly after sunset.
Mercury reaches its greatest eastern elongation on July 4, offering a prime opportunity to observe the planet low on the western horizon just after sunset, especially in clear, unobstructed locations, as it appears as a bright 'evening star' in the constellation Cancer.
Venus is at its peak of visibility in the evening sky this week, arriving at its greatest elongation on June 4. Due to its high arc across the sky, Venus remains visible after sunset for between 3.5 to 5.5 hours. Daylight Saving Time has also delayed the setting of Venus, allowing it to be visible at the witching hour and for some localities well beyond the stroke of midnight. After this week, Venus will begin to set earlier and will disappear into the sunset glow by the start of August, returning as a prominent morning star a few weeks later.