Event Date: November 25th
Time: 6:30 AM
Brief
A fine, planetary trio is taking shape in the east-southeast, now that Mercury (+0.8) has quickly emerged from the Sun and brightening each morning. Further west-southwest of the elusive planet, is Venus, quickly catching up with, and closing in on Saturn. The two are now 1.7º apart, and peaking tomorrow morning (visibly). The absolute peak happens while the two are already below the horizon later in the day. Can you predict how separated they will be tomorrow morning, based on how much faster Venus moves in prograde than Saturn?
Here they are this morning, with Mercury nearby with its orbit showing.
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click on image to enlarge: courtesy of Starry Night Pro Plus, version 6.4.3, by Simulation Curriculum Corp.
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Detailed
This morning, Mercury rises one hour, twenty minutes before the Sun already, despite not being too close to greatest elongation yet. The geometry of this "side" of the sky for the morning is still very good, although getting slightly worse each day. As Mercury separates from the Sun however, is is still a good ecliptic latitude of over 2º north. The Sunrise gap between the Mercury and the Sun happens a few days before greatest elongation, at the beginning of next month. By then, the planet will brighten further, while the configuration of it, Venus and Saturn gradually changes into a near-straight line. Later in the month, they receive "company" by another solar system body: the waning, crescent Moon! Look forward to that, and monitor Mercury's fine apparition between now and then.
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