Planets TonightMercury in 2026: brightness, position and events
Brightest-2.5around May 15
Closest (in table)0.583 au87 million km
Farthest1.430 au
Events this year12
Brightest last year-2.1
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-22 00:48 | Superior conjunction | -1.4 | 1.417 | Capricornus | 2.1° |
| 2026-02-20 02:41 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -0.5 | 0.938 | Aquarius | 18.1° |
| 2026-03-07 20:01 | Inferior conjunction | +5.5 | 0.626 | Pisces | 3.6° |
| 2026-04-04 07:33 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.4 | 0.884 | Aquarius | 27.8° |
| 2026-05-14 23:24 | Superior conjunction | -2.5 | 1.323 | Aries | 0.1° |
| 2026-06-16 04:59 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.6 | 0.822 | Gemini | 24.5° |
| 2026-07-13 10:25 | Inferior conjunction | +5.6 | 0.573 | Gemini | 4.8° |
| 2026-08-02 17:07 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.2 | 0.881 | Gemini | 19.5° |
| 2026-08-28 02:03 | Superior conjunction | -1.9 | 1.362 | Leo | 1.7° |
| 2026-10-12 19:03 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.0 | 1.003 | Libra | 25.2° |
| 2026-11-04 23:24 | Inferior conjunction | +6.8 | 0.674 | Libra | 0.4° |
| 2026-11-21 08:31 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.5 | 1.000 | Libra | 19.6° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | -0.6 | 1.379 | Sagittarius | 12° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Jan 15 | -1.0 | 1.430 | Sagittarius | 4° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 1 | -1.3 | 1.336 | Capricornus | 8° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 15 | -0.9 | 1.065 | Aquarius | 17° E | Evening sky |
| Mar 1 | +2.1 | 0.704 | Pisces | 12° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 15 | +2.2 | 0.635 | Aquarius | 15° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Apr 1 | +0.4 | 0.843 | Aquarius | 28° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +0.1 | 1.046 | Pisces | 25° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | -0.8 | 1.251 | Pisces | 15° W | Too close to the Sun |
| May 15 | -2.5 | 1.321 | Taurus | 1° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jun 1 | -0.5 | 1.100 | Taurus | 19° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 15 | +0.5 | 0.834 | Gemini | 24° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 1 | +2.3 | 0.613 | Gemini | 17° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 15 | +5.2 | 0.583 | Gemini | 6° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Aug 1 | +0.3 | 0.851 | Gemini | 19° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 15 | -1.3 | 1.196 | Cancer | 13° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 1 | -1.4 | 1.377 | Leo | 4° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 15 | -0.5 | 1.333 | Virgo | 15° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | -0.1 | 1.174 | Virgo | 23° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +0.1 | 0.955 | Libra | 25° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +3.2 | 0.681 | Libra | 8° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Nov 15 | -0.0 | 0.849 | Virgo | 18° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 1 | -0.7 | 1.220 | Libra | 17° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 15 | -0.7 | 1.394 | Ophiuchus | 10° 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 2026 (magnitude -2.5); 12 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.