Mercury Reaches Greatest Western Elongation Sunday
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- Mercury reached its greatest western elongation on Sunday, appearing at its greatest apparent distance from the sun in the morning sky.
- The planet is usually lost to dawn or dusk light because its small orbit keeps it trapped close to the sun.
- From London on Tuesday, Mercury will appear about a handspan above the east-north-east horizon between 04:30 and 05:00 BST.
- Binoculars can aid the sighting, but sunrise at 05:28 BST means stargazers must stop well before then to protect their eyesight.
- Mars will be easier to spot as a bonus, positioned higher and to the east.
Why it matters: Skywatchers willing to rise before ~04:30 BST gain a rare accessible window to Mercury's steadily brightening pre-dawn apparition, but the 05:28 BST sunrise caps safe binocular use at roughly 58 minutes — a narrow timing window that demands precise planning.
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