Planets TonightMercury in 1968: brightness, position and events
Brightest-1.7around May 1
Closest (in table)0.556 au83 million km
Farthest1.441 au
Events this year12
Brightest last year-2.0
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968-01-31 13:49 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -0.5 | 0.961 | Aquarius | 18.4° |
| 1968-02-16 00:15 | Inferior conjunction | +5.3 | 0.646 | Capricornus | 3.7° |
| 1968-03-13 09:47 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.2 | 0.928 | Capricornus | 27.5° |
| 1968-04-25 07:36 | Superior conjunction | -2.4 | 1.328 | Aries | 0.4° |
| 1968-05-24 10:05 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.4 | 0.828 | Taurus | 22.6° |
| 1968-06-19 00:48 | Inferior conjunction | +6.0 | 0.554 | Orion | 3.7° |
| 1968-07-11 21:28 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.4 | 0.851 | Orion | 20.9° |
| 1968-08-07 20:24 | Superior conjunction | -2.1 | 1.347 | Cancer | 1.7° |
| 1968-09-21 01:29 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.2 | 0.975 | Virgo | 26.4° |
| 1968-10-16 00:40 | Inferior conjunction | +6.3 | 0.666 | Virgo | 1.5° |
| 1968-10-31 16:29 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.5 | 0.986 | Virgo | 18.7° |
| 1968-12-07 11:31 | Superior conjunction | -1.3 | 1.451 | Ophiuchus | 1.0° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | -1.2 | 1.432 | Sagittarius | 3° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jan 15 | -1.0 | 1.309 | Capricornus | 11° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 1 | -0.5 | 0.935 | Aquarius | 18° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 15 | +5.2 | 0.649 | Capricornus | 4° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 1 | +0.6 | 0.750 | Aquarius | 23° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | +0.2 | 0.959 | Aquarius | 27° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | -0.2 | 1.182 | Aquarius | 21° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | -1.1 | 1.311 | Pisces | 11° W | Too close to the Sun |
| May 1 | -1.7 | 1.280 | Aries | 7° E | Too close to the Sun |
| May 15 | -0.3 | 1.017 | Taurus | 20° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 1 | +1.4 | 0.686 | Gemini | 20° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 15 | +5.3 | 0.556 | Orion | 6° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jul 1 | +1.9 | 0.657 | Taurus | 17° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 15 | -0.0 | 0.934 | Orion | 20° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 1 | -1.6 | 1.290 | Cancer | 7° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Aug 15 | -1.2 | 1.352 | Leo | 8° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 1 | -0.2 | 1.233 | Virgo | 20° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 15 | +0.1 | 1.059 | Virgo | 26° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | +0.5 | 0.803 | Virgo | 23° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +6.0 | 0.664 | Virgo | 2° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Nov 1 | -0.6 | 1.007 | Virgo | 19° W | Morning sky |
| Nov 15 | -0.9 | 1.302 | Libra | 13° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 1 | -1.1 | 1.441 | Scorpius | 3° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 15 | -1.0 | 1.432 | Sagittarius | 5° 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 May 1968 (magnitude -1.7); 12 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.