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47290
From: Eve, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Mercury Superior Solar Conjunction March 17th constellation Pisces
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Mercury at superior solar conjunction FRI, 17 MAR 2023 AT 06:53 EDT (10:53 UTC) Mercury will pass very close to the Sun in the sky as its orbit carries it around the far side of the solar system from the Earth. This occurs once in every synodic cycle of the planet (116 days), and marks the end of Mercury's apparition in the morning sky and its transition to become an evening object over the next few weeks. At closest approach, Mercury will appear at a separation of only 1°28' from the Sun, making it totally unobservable for several weeks while it is lost in the Sun's glare. Mercury will also pass apogee – the time when it is most distant from the Earth – at around the same time, since it will lie exactly opposite to the Earth in the Solar System. It will move to a distance of 1.35 AU from the Earth, making it appear small and very distant. If it could be observed, it would measure 5.0 arcsec in diameter, whilst appearing completely illuminated. The position of Mercury at the moment it passes solar conjunction will be: Object Right Ascension Declination Constellation Angular Size Mercury 23h48m30s 2°49'S Pisces 5.0" Sun 23h46m -01°29' Pisces 32'09" |
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47298
From: Eve, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Mercury Superior Solar Conjunction March 17th constellation Pisces
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SUPERIOR CONJUNCTION OF MERCURY: Are you looking for Mercury? Don't. Today it is only 1.5 degrees from the blinding sun. Using an opaque disk to block the glare, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) is monitoring the close encounter:  Astronomers call this event a "superior conjunction of Mercury." Right now, the first planet is on thefarside of the sun, passing almost directly behind, so it appears to be close to the solar disk. "Inferior conjunctions," when Mercury is on the nearside of the sun, look much the same. In the movie, above, Mercury has a short horizontal line running through it. The planet has not sprouted wings. This is a digital artifact caused by Mercury's brightness saturating the pixels in SOHO's digital camer |
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