Planets TonightMercury in 1962: brightness, position and events
Brightest-2.2around Apr 15
Closest (in table)0.569 au85 million km
Farthest1.447 au
Events this year12
Brightest last year-2.3
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962-01-21 09:12 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -0.5 | 0.971 | Capricornus | 18.7° |
| 1962-02-05 22:18 | Inferior conjunction | +5.4 | 0.654 | Aquarius | 3.6° |
| 1962-03-03 14:31 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.2 | 0.949 | Capricornus | 27.1° |
| 1962-04-16 11:28 | Superior conjunction | -2.3 | 1.332 | Pisces | 0.7° |
| 1962-05-14 06:53 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.4 | 0.836 | Taurus | 21.8° |
| 1962-06-07 17:21 | Inferior conjunction | +6.3 | 0.550 | Taurus | 2.8° |
| 1962-07-01 20:56 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.4 | 0.838 | Taurus | 21.8° |
| 1962-07-30 00:13 | Superior conjunction | -2.1 | 1.340 | Cancer | 1.7° |
| 1962-09-11 07:51 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.2 | 0.957 | Virgo | 26.9° |
| 1962-10-07 00:48 | Inferior conjunction | +6.0 | 0.661 | Virgo | 2.1° |
| 1962-10-22 13:28 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.5 | 0.978 | Virgo | 18.3° |
| 1962-11-25 18:36 | Superior conjunction | -1.4 | 1.450 | Scorpius | 0.6° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | -0.9 | 1.358 | Sagittarius | 9° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jan 15 | -0.8 | 1.122 | Capricornus | 17° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 1 | +2.6 | 0.701 | Capricornus | 10° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 15 | +1.2 | 0.705 | Capricornus | 18° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 1 | +0.2 | 0.917 | Capricornus | 27° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | -0.1 | 1.115 | Aquarius | 25° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | -0.7 | 1.291 | Pisces | 15° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Apr 15 | -2.2 | 1.335 | Pisces | 1° W | Too close to the Sun |
| May 1 | -0.8 | 1.124 | Taurus | 16° E | Evening sky |
| May 15 | +0.5 | 0.811 | Taurus | 22° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 1 | +4.1 | 0.569 | Taurus | 9° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jun 15 | +3.5 | 0.585 | Taurus | 12° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Jul 1 | +0.4 | 0.831 | Taurus | 22° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 15 | -0.9 | 1.143 | Gemini | 16° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 1 | -1.8 | 1.347 | Cancer | 3° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Aug 15 | -0.6 | 1.285 | Leo | 16° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 1 | +0.0 | 1.098 | Virgo | 25° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 15 | +0.3 | 0.892 | Virgo | 26° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | +2.5 | 0.670 | Virgo | 12° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Oct 15 | +0.7 | 0.788 | Virgo | 15° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Nov 1 | -0.9 | 1.219 | Virgo | 15° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Nov 15 | -1.0 | 1.406 | Libra | 6° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 1 | -1.1 | 1.447 | Ophiuchus | 3° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 15 | -0.8 | 1.360 | Sagittarius | 11° E | Too close to the Sun |
Computed with the JPL DE421 ephemeris and Skyfield (times in JST). Magnitude and distance are for 12:00 JST on each date. Visibility is a rough guide for mid-northern latitudes such as Japan.
About this page
Mercury is brightest around April 1962 (magnitude -2.2); 12 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.