Mercury at Greatest Elongation West (18 degrees)

[AndyMac]

[move]ON 23 AUGUST 2005[/move]

On this date Mercury is the farthest to the West of the Sun as it will get in the current cycle. This means that it is at a fairly favorable position for sighting in the predawn Eastern sky. It will be in the faint constellation Cancer, along with brighter Saturn. But look soon, as it quickly retreats into the glare of the Sun, and will be lost by the first week in September.