Planets TonightMercury in 1981: brightness, position and events
Brightest-1.9around May 1
Closest (in table)0.571 au85 million km
Farthest1.443 au
Events this year12
Brightest last year-2.2
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-02-02 10:06 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -0.5 | 0.958 | Aquarius | 18.3° |
| 1981-02-17 20:30 | Inferior conjunction | +5.3 | 0.644 | Aquarius | 3.7° |
| 1981-03-16 10:06 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.2 | 0.923 | Aquarius | 27.6° |
| 1981-04-28 01:29 | Superior conjunction | -2.4 | 1.327 | Aries | 0.3° |
| 1981-05-27 12:47 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.4 | 0.826 | Taurus | 22.9° |
| 1981-06-22 09:56 | Inferior conjunction | +5.9 | 0.556 | Orion | 3.9° |
| 1981-07-14 22:31 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.3 | 0.855 | Orion | 20.7° |
| 1981-08-10 15:00 | Superior conjunction | -2.0 | 1.348 | Leo | 1.7° |
| 1981-09-24 01:16 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.2 | 0.979 | Virgo | 26.3° |
| 1981-10-18 19:30 | Inferior conjunction | +6.4 | 0.667 | Virgo | 1.4° |
| 1981-11-03 12:43 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.5 | 0.988 | Virgo | 18.8° |
| 1981-12-10 23:54 | Superior conjunction | -1.3 | 1.451 | Ophiuchus | 1.1° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | -1.3 | 1.437 | Sagittarius | 2° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jan 15 | -1.0 | 1.334 | Capricornus | 10° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 1 | -0.6 | 0.983 | Aquarius | 18° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 15 | +4.0 | 0.663 | Aquarius | 6° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 1 | +0.9 | 0.706 | Capricornus | 21° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | +0.2 | 0.909 | Capricornus | 28° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | -0.2 | 1.142 | Aquarius | 23° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | -0.8 | 1.288 | Pisces | 13° W | Too close to the Sun |
| May 1 | -1.9 | 1.307 | Aries | 4° E | Too close to the Sun |
| May 15 | -0.7 | 1.079 | Taurus | 18° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 1 | +0.9 | 0.736 | Gemini | 22° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 15 | +4.0 | 0.571 | Orion | 10° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jul 1 | +2.7 | 0.618 | Taurus | 13° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Jul 15 | +0.3 | 0.867 | Orion | 21° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 1 | -1.4 | 1.250 | Cancer | 10° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Aug 15 | -1.5 | 1.359 | Leo | 5° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 1 | -0.4 | 1.267 | Virgo | 19° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 15 | +0.0 | 1.106 | Virgo | 25° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | +0.4 | 0.855 | Virgo | 25° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +3.8 | 0.668 | Virgo | 8° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Nov 1 | -0.3 | 0.932 | Virgo | 18° W | Morning sky |
| Nov 15 | -0.9 | 1.256 | Libra | 14° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 1 | -1.1 | 1.428 | Scorpius | 5° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 15 | -1.1 | 1.443 | Ophiuchus | 3° 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 1981 (magnitude -1.9); 12 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.