Planets TonightMercury in 1998: brightness, position and events
Brightest-1.6around Jun 15
Closest (in table)0.598 au89 million km
Farthest1.411 au
Events this year13
Brightest last year-1.8
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-01-06 23:16 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.2 | 1.015 | Ophiuchus | 23.1° |
| 1998-02-22 17:28 | Superior conjunction | -1.7 | 1.377 | Aquarius | 1.9° |
| 1998-03-20 12:55 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -0.1 | 0.903 | Pisces | 18.5° |
| 1998-04-07 01:34 | Inferior conjunction | +6.3 | 0.590 | Pisces | 2.6° |
| 1998-05-05 01:45 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.5 | 0.834 | Pisces | 26.7° |
| 1998-06-10 15:56 | Superior conjunction | -2.4 | 1.322 | Taurus | 0.8° |
| 1998-07-17 12:17 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.5 | 0.850 | Leo | 26.7° |
| 1998-08-14 08:47 | Inferior conjunction | +5.3 | 0.610 | Leo | 4.7° |
| 1998-08-31 18:12 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.3 | 0.922 | Leo | 18.2° |
| 1998-09-26 04:49 | Superior conjunction | -1.7 | 1.393 | Virgo | 1.4° |
| 1998-11-11 18:04 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -0.3 | 1.019 | Scorpius | 22.9° |
| 1998-12-02 00:23 | Inferior conjunction | +6.3 | 0.678 | Ophiuchus | 1.1° |
| 1998-12-20 12:54 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.3 | 1.015 | Scorpius | 21.6° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | -0.0 | 0.902 | Ophiuchus | 22° W | Morning sky |
| Jan 15 | -0.2 | 1.164 | Sagittarius | 22° W | Morning sky |
| Feb 1 | -0.5 | 1.349 | Sagittarius | 14° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 15 | -1.1 | 1.397 | Capricornus | 6° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 1 | -1.6 | 1.320 | Aquarius | 6° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 15 | -0.7 | 1.041 | Pisces | 17° E | Evening sky |
| Apr 1 | +3.3 | 0.643 | Pisces | 10° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Apr 15 | +2.9 | 0.598 | Pisces | 14° W | Too close to the Sun |
| May 1 | +0.7 | 0.780 | Pisces | 26° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | +0.0 | 1.003 | Pisces | 24° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 1 | -1.3 | 1.265 | Taurus | 11° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Jun 15 | -1.6 | 1.307 | Taurus | 6° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jul 1 | -0.2 | 1.103 | Cancer | 21° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 15 | +0.4 | 0.880 | Leo | 27° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 1 | +1.5 | 0.655 | Leo | 20° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 15 | +5.2 | 0.617 | Leo | 5° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 1 | -0.3 | 0.942 | Leo | 18° W | Morning sky |
| Sep 15 | -1.4 | 1.278 | Leo | 10° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Oct 1 | -1.2 | 1.411 | Virgo | 4° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Oct 15 | -0.5 | 1.375 | Virgo | 13° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Nov 1 | -0.3 | 1.198 | Libra | 21° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | -0.2 | 0.941 | Ophiuchus | 22° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +6.3 | 0.678 | Ophiuchus | 2° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 15 | -0.1 | 0.900 | Scorpius | 21° 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 1998 (magnitude -1.6); 13 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.