The ‘Evening Star’ Points To Mercury
Even though it’s often brighter than the brightest stars, Mercury is always a challenge to spot. Being the planet nearest the Sun, its elusiveness derives from its proximity to our blindingly bright star. While we might tend to forget it, the daytime sky is just as full of stars as the nighttime sky. We just don’t see them since they are obscured by the glare of the Sun. Likewise with Mercury. Since it orbits close to the Sun, it is up virtually all day every day, but it, too, is hidden by the Sun’s glare.
Even though it’s often brighter than the brightest stars, Mercury is always a challenge to spot. Being the planet nearest the Sun, its elusiveness derives from its proximity to our blindingly bright star.
While we might tend to forget it, the daytime sky is just as full of stars as the nighttime sky. We just don’t see them since they are obscured by the glare of the Sun. Likewise with Mercury. Since it orbits close to the Sun, it is up virtually all day every day, but it, too, is hidden by the Sun’s glare.
During about half of Mercury’s orbit, it is either behind the Sun or between Earth and Sun, and thus too near the Sun for us to see. But there are two windows of opportunity in its orbit when it can be seen, even if briefly and with some effort.
Three to four times each year Mercury can be seen, usually for a couple of weeks, low in the east in the morning as dawn breaks, and likewise, three to four times low in the west in the evening at dusk.
Since Mercury’s orbit is highly elliptical (it deviates notably from a perfect circle), some of its appearances are better than others. When it is farther from the Sun than usual, it can be seen sooner before sunrise or longer after sunset, and can be spotted a bit farther from the horizon.
It is now having its best appearance for this year, and to our good fortune, it is near “evening star” Venus, making it easier to spot. The two are low in the west at dusk and remain above the horizon more than an hour after sunset. As they are low, you’ll need a viewing site with a clear view of the western horizon.
Begin looking soon after sundown. The much brighter Venus will appear first; then a little later Mercury will pop into view to Venus’ lower right. Binoculars can help spot Mercury sooner although as the sky darkens, it becomes visible to naked eyes.
The two are at their nearest April 4 with Mercury six moonwidths to Venus’ lower right. Mercury is at its farthest from the setting Sun April 8.
A week later a guest joins the pair for a special show. April 15, a very thin the crescent Moon is three moonwidths to the upper right of Mercury with Venus farther to their upper left. Then the next evening, the Moon is above the two planets and just below the lovely Pleiades (Seven Sisters) star cluster.
While this is Mercury’s best appearance for 2010, its best morning appearance comes in mid September, although Venus won’t be nearby.
Erratum: Thanks to teachers Steve Salvesen and John Herbert and their Lake Waco Montessori 5th graders for noting an error in last column’s diagram. The Moon, of course, orbits the Earth.
• Sky Calendar.
* Apr. 6 Tue.: The Moon is at 3rd quarter.
* 11 Sun. morning: The crescent Moon is above Jupiter low in the east at dawn, and to the planet’s left the next morning.
* 14 Wed.: The Moon is new.
* 17 Sat. evening: Mars is a moonwidth from the Beehive star cluster – best seen in binoculars or a scope a low power.
* 21 Wed.: The 1st quarter Moon is below Mars.
* 22 Thu. morning: Lyrid meteor shower peaks – best after the Moon sets at 3 a.m.
• Naked-eye Planets. (The Sun, Moon, and planets rise in the east and set in the west due to Earth’s west-to-east rotation on its axis.) Evening: Venus and Mercury are low in the west with Saturn well up in the southeast and Mars high overhead. Morning: An hour before sunrise, Saturn is setting in the west as Jupiter is rising in the east.
• Star Party. The Central Texas Astronomical Society’s free monthly star party is Apriil 17 at the Lake Waco Wetlands beginning at 8 p.m., weather permitting. For directions see my Web site.
Stargazer appears every other week. Paul Derrick is an amateur astronomer who lives in Waco. Contact him at 918 N. 30th, Waco, 76707, (254) 753-6920 or paulderrickwaco@aol.com. See the Stargazer Web site at <stargazerpaul.com>.
Thuma – Proud Crawford Gave Editor The Boot
Dear Editor,
I just watched the movie “Crawford” and I must say I am proud of that town for giving you the boot! Your recommendation of Kerry is quite horrific, considering his stance on almost everything.
You must be an Obama fan!
I am so sick of liberals.
Joshua Thuma,
College Station, Texas
Dear Editor,
If you or someone in your family gets sick, I am willing to help you. Would you be willing to do the same? If you are, that is the essence of universal health care.
Some people say “why should the government pay for people’s health care?” But government is us, you and me. It is not some far-off entity, distinct from the people. It is by the people, for the people, of the people. Government money is our taxes.
Helping each other is the Christian thing to do. So why has there been no outcry from Christian leaders? Have they forgotten that when Jesus returns, he will say to those he sends to heaven, “I was sick and you helped me.”?
To the hell-bound he will say “I was sick and you did not help me.”
A perfect opportunity has presented itself to the religious community to save lives and improve the lot of millions of fellow citizens, while assuring a place in heaven, avoiding fiery damnation, and giving the church relevance and purpose.
For Christ’s sake, I implore the Christians of America to stand up for universal health care.
”What you do for these, the least of my brothers, you do for me.”
Bruce Benson
To The Editor:
We live in a nation that has a black president. His election was made possible due to a large number of white voters who chose to vote for him. In fact, without the white vote, Obama could not have been elected. This should have put to rest the constant cries of racism in America. But, it hasn’t. If we disagree with our president we are immediately labeled racist.
There is an old saying to the effect that if you can’t stop the message, then shoot the messenger. When people come up with legitimate objections to our present administration’s policies, there are those who will shoot them down with the cries of racism.
Martin Luther King’s most famous dream was that there would come a day when people would not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the quality of their character. The policies of an administration represent the character of that administration. The constant cries of racism are doing more to destroy King’s dream than to bring it to reality. In fact, if because of someone’s race, we are not allowed to disagree with his policy, then King’s dream has died. It has been shot down by the very people who will support a person because of his race with no consideration of his character.
Steve Casey, Stonewall, La.
