Greatest elongations of Mercury until 2029
Dates are in Universal Time. East of the Sun means an evening apparition, west a morning one.
| Date | Side | Angle from the Sun | When to look | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West | 19.6° | Morning, before sunrise | Libra | |
| East | 18.3° | Evening, after sunset | Aquarius | |
| West | 27.6° | Morning, before sunrise | Aquarius | |
| East | 22.9° | Evening, after sunset | Taurus | |
| West | 20.7° | Morning, before sunrise | Gemini | |
| East | 26.3° | Evening, after sunset | Virgo | |
| West | 18.8° | Morning, before sunrise | Virgo | |
| East | 18.8° | Evening, after sunset | Capricornus | |
| West | 26.9° | Morning, before sunrise | Capricornus | |
| East | 21.4° | Evening, after sunset | Taurus | |
| West | 22.2° | Morning, before sunrise | Taurus | |
| East | 27.1° | Evening, after sunset | Virgo | |
| West | 18.2° | Morning, before sunrise | Virgo | |
| East | 19.6° | Evening, after sunset | Sagittarius | |
| West | 25.7° | Morning, before sunrise | Sagittarius | |
| East | 20.1° | Evening, after sunset | Aries | |
| West | 23.9° | Morning, before sunrise | Taurus | |
| East | 27.4° | Evening, after sunset | Virgo | |
| West | 17.9° | Morning, before sunrise | Leo | |
| East | 20.6° | Evening, after sunset | Sagittarius |
Why Mercury never strays far from the Sun
The orbit of Mercury lies inside that of Earth, so we always see the planet in roughly the same direction as the Sun. The elongation is the angle between the two; its maximum is between 18° and 28° for Mercury.
The angle changes from one apparition to the next because the orbit of Mercury is strongly elliptical. The widest elongations are not always the best to observe: what counts is how steeply the ecliptic rises above the horizon, which favours spring evenings and autumn mornings in the northern hemisphere.
Between two greatest elongations the planet passes either between Earth and the Sun (inferior conjunction) or behind the Sun (superior conjunction), and is lost in the glare.
Conjunctions of Mercury with the Sun
| Date | Conjunction | Distance from Earth |
|---|---|---|
| Superior conjunction | 1.439 AU | |
| Inferior conjunction | 0.644 AU | |
| Superior conjunction | 1.327 AU | |
| Inferior conjunction | 0.556 AU | |
| Superior conjunction | 1.348 AU | |
| Inferior conjunction | 0.668 AU | |
| Superior conjunction | 1.451 AU | |
| Inferior conjunction | 0.657 AU | |
| Superior conjunction | 1.334 AU | |
| Inferior conjunction | 0.549 AU | |
| Superior conjunction | 1.338 AU | |
| Inferior conjunction | 0.658 AU |
Frequently asked questions
When is the next greatest elongation of Mercury?
The next greatest elongation of Mercury is on November 20, 2026, in 8 days: 19.6° west of the Sun, in the morning sky before sunrise.
When is the best time to see Mercury?
In the days around a greatest elongation, when the planet is farthest from the glare of the Sun. The coming ones are on November 20, 2026 (morning), February 3, 2027 (evening) and March 17, 2027 (morning).
How far from the Sun can Mercury appear?
At most between 18° and 28°, depending on the apparition.