How do you find mercury?

[spurius]

Tried looking about 9pm in the direction where the sun set. Couldnt see anything but according to star charts both mercury and venus should have been visible. Is mercury always too low to be seen from anywhere that has mountains?

[Paul M]

I saw it last night about 10pm.

If you find Venus then using binoculars, slowly scan up at an angle of roughly 45 degrees you should find Mercury. It's about as far from Venus as Venus is from the horizon.

Once you spot it yoy should be able to see it unaided, particularly as it gets later and darker.

It's probably best to try before Venus gets too low else my guide above is useless!

Venus makes it easier at the moment.

It's probably still way, way too light at 9pm. I struggled to see it unaided after 10pm from Cumbria.

Once you find it you'll wonder how you ever missed it!

[Paul M]

Sorry, forgot to add that you do need a fairly low horizon.

If you can get up one of your mountains you'll have more chance. If you can't see Venus at present you may well struggle with Mercury. They are both still getting higher in the evenings but Mercury never gets too far away from a twilit horizon.

[Qualia]

As the Sun nips down behind the horizon, you should be able to see Venus gradually appearing quite bright in the sky trailing about 10º behind the Sun to your left. Now wait a few minutes and observe Venus and then following that angle you took to arrive from the Sun to Venus, slowly move on up to your left about 5º and you should be able to make out what appears like a small shining star. This will be Mercury.

[Mr Flibble]

I spotted Mercury for the first time last saturday. From Venus look in the direction of 11 o'clock at a distance of about two finger widths and it is just visible to the naked eye.

[Qualia]

Here's a little screen shot. About 9.30 UK time.

[spurius]

I will try again tomorow but a bit later if weathers ok. In the meantime what the heck was that bright thing that past from west to east about 12:25? It was movin fast but I was able to get it in my scope, couldnt make out what it was. Looked weird tho.

[mapstar]

That would be the ISS constant speed check the NASA website for sighting info ;-)

[bish]

I spent a while looking for it the other night, because Venus is so bright near by. I have really bad eye floaters too, which makes finding something in the twilight with bins a pain. Think it was getting on for 10pm when I found it.

[Pete Presland]

its a pretty easy spot in my 15x70's once the sun goes down a little

[Dabajeh]

What's so pleasing about a tiny dot?

[Matt Scunthorpe]

What's so pleasing about a tiny dot?

Whats so pleasing about a fuzzy grey patch thats barely there? For me, its not what your looking at visually as such, as alot of what we see is barely there. But what it actually is your looking at.

When you see that little dot, your looking at something that ranges from 48 to 138 million miles away. The fact that you can see it at all amazes me.

[Vince1963]

Whats so pleasing about a fuzzy grey patch thats barely there? For me, its not what your looking at visually as such, as alot of what we see is barely there. But what it actually is your looking at.

When you see that little dot, your looking at something that ranges from 48 to 138 million miles away. The fact that you can see it at all amazes me.

Nicely put matt.. I couldn't have put it better

[Scott]

What's so pleasing about a tiny dot?

really?

[Pete Presland]

perhaps the same could be said about the large snowball, Halley's comet which has been observed and recorded by astronomers since at least 240 BC! just another fuzzy blob in 1986 but absolutely amazing! an object recorded through most of modern mans history, and in around 11-12 years time it will start its journey back

or what about The Crab Nebula a supernova remnant in Taurus,whats left from a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054.

[Paul M]

What's so pleasing about a tiny dot?

But it only looks like a tiny dot!

In reality it's another world. Just a little knowledge and a little more imagination and you're off on a wonderful journey...

[Ewan]

What's so pleasing about a tiny dot?

I don't understand why some people bother with astronomy if their hearts not in it.

Everything in our skies is an amazing site regardless if it's a planet, moon, sun, nebula or galaxy.

Don't they even kind of make you feel insignificant, just a little ?

You show a child that 'tiny dot', see their reaction then ask again.

[Scott]

I don't understand why some people bother with astronomy if their hearts not in it.

Everything in our skies is an amazing site regardless if it's a planet, moon, sun, nebula or galaxy.

Don't they even kind of make you feel insignificant, just a little ?

You show a child that 'tiny dot', see their reaction then ask again.

I love everything about space (for lack of a better word) But that's me..... If some-one wants to spend their whole life admiring the moon then who am I to say they're wrong. what they're doing is still astronomy, even if it's not the choices i'd make.........but yeah, it's a bit of an odd question.......whats so interesting about a dot ............to me, there's a lot interesting about dots, smudges, fuzzies, blurrs, streaks etc..........but as I said...........thats my choice

[Ewan]

Agreed Scott, i wasn't having a dig at Dabajeh btw, i just thought, like you said, that's an odd question so i hope i didn't offend anyone, not my intention.

[ollypenrice]

How do I find Mercury? Most disagreeable. Too hot, too cold, absurdly inconsitent. To be be quite honest I have stopped going there and have no plans to visit it again.

Olly

[Paul M]

How do I find Mercury? Most disagreeable. Too hot, too cold, absurdly inconsitent. To be be quite honest I have stopped going there and have no plans to visit it again.

Olly

We went to Ibiza some years ago and the mother in law asked how we found it.

When I told her it was dead easy, the pilot did all the work, she really didn't get it!!

[Superdavo]

What's so pleasing about a tiny dot?

Someone's not been into astronomy for long!