Planets TonightMercury in 1980: brightness, position and events
Brightest-2.2around May 15
Closest (in table)0.591 au88 million km
Farthest1.431 au
Events this year13
Brightest last year-2.2
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980-01-21 18:15 | Superior conjunction | -1.4 | 1.418 | Capricornus | 2.0° |
| 1980-02-19 21:33 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -0.5 | 0.939 | Aquarius | 18.1° |
| 1980-03-06 14:38 | Inferior conjunction | +5.5 | 0.627 | Pisces | 3.6° |
| 1980-04-03 01:48 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.3 | 0.885 | Aquarius | 27.8° |
| 1980-05-13 18:39 | Superior conjunction | -2.4 | 1.323 | Aries | 0.1° |
| 1980-06-14 22:48 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.5 | 0.822 | Gemini | 24.5° |
| 1980-07-12 03:45 | Inferior conjunction | +5.6 | 0.573 | Gemini | 4.8° |
| 1980-08-01 11:28 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.2 | 0.880 | Gemini | 19.5° |
| 1980-08-26 20:52 | Superior conjunction | -2.0 | 1.362 | Leo | 1.7° |
| 1980-10-11 13:22 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.1 | 1.002 | Libra | 25.2° |
| 1980-11-03 18:32 | Inferior conjunction | +6.8 | 0.674 | Libra | 0.4° |
| 1980-11-20 03:14 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.5 | 1.000 | Libra | 19.6° |
| 1980-12-31 19:03 | Superior conjunction | -1.3 | 1.439 | Sagittarius | 1.8° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | -0.6 | 1.381 | Sagittarius | 12° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Jan 15 | -1.1 | 1.431 | Sagittarius | 4° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 1 | -1.2 | 1.333 | Capricornus | 8° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 15 | -0.8 | 1.060 | Aquarius | 17° E | Evening sky |
| Mar 1 | +2.5 | 0.683 | Pisces | 10° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 15 | +1.8 | 0.645 | Aquarius | 16° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +0.3 | 0.862 | Aquarius | 28° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | -0.0 | 1.064 | Pisces | 25° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | -0.9 | 1.264 | Pisces | 14° W | Too close to the Sun |
| May 15 | -2.2 | 1.317 | Taurus | 2° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jun 1 | -0.5 | 1.076 | Gemini | 20° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 15 | +0.5 | 0.813 | Gemini | 24° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 1 | +2.6 | 0.602 | Gemini | 16° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 15 | +4.6 | 0.591 | Gemini | 7° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Aug 1 | +0.2 | 0.881 | Gemini | 20° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 15 | -1.3 | 1.221 | Cancer | 12° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 1 | -1.4 | 1.378 | Leo | 6° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 15 | -0.5 | 1.324 | Virgo | 16° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | -0.1 | 1.157 | Virgo | 23° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +0.1 | 0.932 | Libra | 25° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +4.4 | 0.674 | Libra | 5° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Nov 15 | -0.1 | 0.880 | Virgo | 18° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 1 | -0.7 | 1.241 | Libra | 16° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 15 | -0.8 | 1.403 | Ophiuchus | 9° W | 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 1980 (magnitude -2.2); 13 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.