Planets TonightMercury in 1999: brightness, position and events
Brightest-1.5around Jun 1
Closest (in table)0.619 au93 million km
Farthest1.412 au
Events this year12
Brightest last year-1.6
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-02-04 14:19 | Superior conjunction | -1.5 | 1.400 | Capricornus | 2.1° |
| 1999-03-03 22:00 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -0.3 | 0.924 | Pisces | 18.2° |
| 1999-03-20 04:13 | Inferior conjunction | +5.8 | 0.612 | Pisces | 3.4° |
| 1999-04-17 01:03 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.4 | 0.860 | Pisces | 27.6° |
| 1999-05-26 03:21 | Superior conjunction | -2.5 | 1.322 | Taurus | 0.4° |
| 1999-06-29 08:06 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.5 | 0.828 | Cancer | 25.5° |
| 1999-07-27 00:47 | Inferior conjunction | +5.4 | 0.588 | Cancer | 5.0° |
| 1999-08-14 23:09 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.1 | 0.899 | Cancer | 18.8° |
| 1999-09-08 23:57 | Superior conjunction | -1.8 | 1.374 | Leo | 1.7° |
| 1999-10-25 07:15 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -0.1 | 1.013 | Libra | 24.3° |
| 1999-11-16 07:04 | Inferior conjunction | +6.8 | 0.677 | Libra | 0.3° |
| 1999-12-03 09:43 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.4 | 1.008 | Libra | 20.4° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | -0.4 | 1.232 | Ophiuchus | 19° W | Morning sky |
| Jan 15 | -0.5 | 1.376 | Sagittarius | 12° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 1 | -1.3 | 1.412 | Capricornus | 3° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 15 | -1.4 | 1.300 | Aquarius | 9° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 1 | -0.6 | 0.992 | Pisces | 18° E | Evening sky |
| Mar 15 | +3.4 | 0.659 | Pisces | 9° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Apr 1 | +1.5 | 0.655 | Pisces | 20° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +0.5 | 0.838 | Pisces | 28° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | -0.1 | 1.077 | Pisces | 23° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | -1.1 | 1.265 | Aries | 12° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Jun 1 | -1.5 | 1.285 | Taurus | 8° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jun 15 | -0.2 | 1.070 | Gemini | 21° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 1 | +0.6 | 0.794 | Cancer | 25° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 15 | +2.1 | 0.619 | Cancer | 17° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 1 | +3.6 | 0.632 | Cancer | 10° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Aug 15 | -0.1 | 0.913 | Cancer | 19° W | Morning sky |
| Sep 1 | -1.5 | 1.301 | Leo | 8° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 15 | -1.1 | 1.392 | Virgo | 6° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Oct 1 | -0.4 | 1.326 | Virgo | 16° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | -0.2 | 1.172 | Libra | 22° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +0.1 | 0.873 | Scorpius | 23° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +6.1 | 0.676 | Libra | 2° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 1 | -0.4 | 0.961 | Libra | 20° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 15 | -0.5 | 1.247 | Scorpius | 17° 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 1999 (magnitude -1.5); 12 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.