Mercury

[Tropo-Bob]

This is a non-observation, but I tried. It is said to now be visible in the evening sky? A nearby mountain hinders my view.

Has anybody seen it yet?

[Tropo-Bob]

I found Mercury. It is about 10 degrees beneath (West) of Regulus. It is also brighter than Regulus.

I looked at with a scope, but it is in layers of dirty cloud with bad seeing. However, it had some size to it and certainly did not appear starlike with the scope. (Meade ED 127mm F9 at 52x)

For me, it will set behind the nearby mountain at approximately 7pm.

[Tropo-Bob]

Tonight, Mercury is about 6 degrees below Regulus.

[Tropo-Bob]

I viewed Mercury's phase tonight with an 80mm F6 triplet at 68x. It was similar to an eight-day old Moon. (One day after first quarter.)

On the 25th July, Mercury, Regulus and the 2 day old Moon are all close to each other. From Northern Asia and northern Europe, the Moon occults Mercury at approximately 7pm our time.

I will (weather permitting) look at the Moon at that time and try and do 3D representations in my mind about the difference in parallax re the Moons position from my viewing and the size of our planet. (Just wonderment, nothing serious).