Planets TonightMercury in 1978: brightness, position and events
Brightest-2.4around Jun 15
Closest (in table)0.576 au86 million km
Farthest1.405 au
Events this year13
Brightest last year-2.2
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-01-11 17:55 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.2 | 1.014 | Sagittarius | 23.5° |
| 1978-02-27 12:03 | Superior conjunction | -1.7 | 1.372 | Aquarius | 1.8° |
| 1978-03-25 02:13 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -0.2 | 0.897 | Pisces | 18.7° |
| 1978-04-12 01:49 | Inferior conjunction | +6.4 | 0.584 | Pisces | 2.3° |
| 1978-05-10 00:26 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.5 | 0.828 | Pisces | 26.4° |
| 1978-06-14 20:50 | Superior conjunction | -2.4 | 1.323 | Taurus | 0.9° |
| 1978-07-22 09:42 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.5 | 0.857 | Leo | 26.9° |
| 1978-08-19 05:10 | Inferior conjunction | +5.5 | 0.616 | Leo | 4.5° |
| 1978-09-05 06:18 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.2 | 0.928 | Leo | 18.1° |
| 1978-10-01 00:21 | Superior conjunction | -1.7 | 1.399 | Virgo | 1.3° |
| 1978-11-16 11:35 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -0.2 | 1.019 | Ophiuchus | 22.6° |
| 1978-12-06 06:33 | Inferior conjunction | +6.2 | 0.678 | Ophiuchus | 1.4° |
| 1978-12-25 05:55 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.4 | 1.016 | Ophiuchus | 22.0° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +0.2 | 0.804 | Ophiuchus | 19° W | Morning sky |
| Jan 15 | -0.2 | 1.082 | Sagittarius | 23° W | Morning sky |
| Feb 1 | -0.4 | 1.304 | Sagittarius | 17° W | Morning sky |
| Feb 15 | -0.8 | 1.385 | Capricornus | 9° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 1 | -1.7 | 1.359 | Aquarius | 2° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 15 | -1.2 | 1.149 | Pisces | 14° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Apr 1 | +1.4 | 0.719 | Pisces | 15° E | Evening sky |
| Apr 15 | +4.9 | 0.576 | Pisces | 6° W | Too close to the Sun |
| May 1 | +0.9 | 0.704 | Pisces | 24° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | +0.3 | 0.918 | Pisces | 26° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 1 | -0.8 | 1.203 | Taurus | 15° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 15 | -2.4 | 1.323 | Taurus | 1° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jul 1 | -0.6 | 1.178 | Gemini | 18° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 15 | +0.2 | 0.963 | Leo | 26° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 1 | +1.0 | 0.717 | Leo | 24° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 15 | +4.2 | 0.608 | Leo | 8° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 1 | +0.5 | 0.828 | Leo | 17° W | Morning sky |
| Sep 15 | -1.2 | 1.196 | Leo | 13° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Oct 1 | -1.7 | 1.401 | Virgo | 1° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Oct 15 | -0.7 | 1.405 | Virgo | 10° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Nov 1 | -0.3 | 1.267 | Libra | 19° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | -0.2 | 1.039 | Ophiuchus | 23° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +2.0 | 0.711 | Ophiuchus | 11° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 15 | +0.3 | 0.797 | Scorpius | 18° W | Morning sky |
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 June 1978 (magnitude -2.4); 13 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.