Planets TonightMercury in 2001: brightness, position and events
Brightest-1.8around Aug 1
Closest (in table)0.552 au83 million km
Farthest1.446 au
Events this year12
Brightest last year-1.7
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-01-28 22:38 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -0.6 | 0.963 | Capricornus | 18.4° |
| 2001-02-13 09:16 | Inferior conjunction | +5.3 | 0.648 | Capricornus | 3.7° |
| 2001-03-11 15:09 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.2 | 0.933 | Capricornus | 27.5° |
| 2001-04-23 18:24 | Superior conjunction | -2.4 | 1.329 | Aries | 0.4° |
| 2001-05-22 13:33 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.5 | 0.830 | Taurus | 22.4° |
| 2001-06-16 22:25 | Inferior conjunction | +6.1 | 0.553 | Taurus | 3.6° |
| 2001-07-10 02:03 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.4 | 0.848 | Taurus | 21.1° |
| 2001-08-06 06:50 | Superior conjunction | -2.1 | 1.345 | Cancer | 1.7° |
| 2001-09-19 07:24 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.2 | 0.971 | Virgo | 26.5° |
| 2001-10-14 10:42 | Inferior conjunction | +6.2 | 0.665 | Virgo | 1.6° |
| 2001-10-30 01:30 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.6 | 0.984 | Virgo | 18.6° |
| 2001-12-05 06:35 | Superior conjunction | -1.3 | 1.451 | Ophiuchus | 0.9° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | -1.1 | 1.420 | Sagittarius | 4° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jan 15 | -1.0 | 1.270 | Capricornus | 13° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 1 | -0.1 | 0.865 | Aquarius | 18° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 15 | +4.3 | 0.643 | Capricornus | 6° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 1 | +0.5 | 0.779 | Capricornus | 25° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | +0.2 | 0.990 | Aquarius | 27° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | -0.3 | 1.205 | Aquarius | 20° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | -1.2 | 1.321 | Pisces | 9° W | Too close to the Sun |
| May 1 | -1.6 | 1.259 | Aries | 9° E | Too close to the Sun |
| May 15 | -0.1 | 0.980 | Taurus | 21° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 1 | +1.7 | 0.659 | Taurus | 19° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 15 | +6.0 | 0.552 | Taurus | 4° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jul 1 | +1.6 | 0.684 | Taurus | 18° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 15 | -0.2 | 0.972 | Gemini | 20° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 1 | -1.8 | 1.308 | Cancer | 6° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Aug 15 | -1.0 | 1.345 | Leo | 10° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 1 | -0.1 | 1.210 | Virgo | 21° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 15 | +0.1 | 1.029 | Virgo | 26° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | +0.6 | 0.773 | Virgo | 22° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +5.8 | 0.671 | Virgo | 3° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Nov 1 | -0.7 | 1.049 | Virgo | 18° W | Morning sky |
| Nov 15 | -0.9 | 1.325 | Libra | 11° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 1 | -1.2 | 1.446 | Scorpius | 2° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 15 | -0.9 | 1.424 | Sagittarius | 6° 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 August 2001 (magnitude -1.8); 12 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.