Favorable Mercury viewing at SPSP (Friday 11/3/05)

[Robby]

Hi All,
Mercury will be at greatest elongation east
this weekend. Best viewing will be Friday night where the wanning cresent moon will provide a good pointer...
See map for just after sunset Friday.

Actual max elogation data is March 12 (18 degrees) at 23:43 hrs UT, diameter 7.3"

Be worth trying to find if we have (or can get to) a clear western horizon.

Cheers

[iceman]

Ah very good Robby, will definitely take a peak on Friday.

[ving]

you know, I'd love to give it a try... how high will it by robby? most of my horizon is covered to about 10 degrees in most directions.

[Robby]

Hi David,
How high.!?!.. Hmmm that's a very relative term. It will depend on how good your eyes and how well you can pick it up in twilight skies. Sun will just be setting. At ~7:45pm it will be about 6° above the horizon!! Pretty low. The only advantage to this viewing is that the moon provides a good pointer in terms of direction and height. Get to a clear horizon if you can and use binos. Telescope will help to resolve the disk, but you haven't much time as it'll set fast!. It'll be good just to say you've seen Mercury!
Cheers