Mercury’s Greatest Elongation
Tuesday (September 14) 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Mercury’s orbit lies closer to the Sun than the Earth’s, meaning it always appears close to the Sun and is lost in the Sun’s glare much of the time.
It is observable for only a few weeks each time it reaches the greatest separation from the Sun – moments referred to as greatest elongation. These apparitions repeat roughly once every 3–4 months, taking place alternately in the morning and evening skies, depending on whether Mercury lies to the east of the Sun or to the west.
When it lies to the east, it rises and sets a short time after the Sun and is visible in the early evening twilight. On September 14 it will have a 26.8° eastern elongation. Observing conditions will be better at lower latitudes, from where it will be setting approximately 1.5 hours after the sun.
Come out to the Schoolyard Observatory where we will take a trip to the Western field and view Mercury through binoculars and a few field telescopes. After which we will explore other planets and our moon through our telescopes.
This 2-hour session will be confirmed by email at least 24 hours before scheduled according to the cloud cover forecast (< 30%). Tickets are transferable for any observatory nightly event in cases of poor weather conditions.
Have questions? Please contact us at Observatory@hawthornhollow.org.
Safety Precautions: During events, 6-foot social distancing will be maintained, and wearing face masks are recommended but not mandatory. Telescope eyepiece and ladder handles will be sanitized before and after each use. Dress appropriately for nighttime outdoor weather, and plan for the blood-sucking flying insects.
Purchase Tickets Here or call 262-552-8196.