Planets TonightMercury in 2038: brightness, position and events
Brightest-2.3around Jun 1
Closest (in table)0.591 au88 million km
Farthest1.405 au
Events this year12
Brightest last year-2.1
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2038-02-12 23:40 | Superior conjunction | -1.6 | 1.390 | Capricornus | 2.0° |
| 2038-03-11 11:47 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -0.3 | 0.915 | Pisces | 18.3° |
| 2038-03-28 05:41 | Inferior conjunction | +5.9 | 0.603 | Pisces | 3.1° |
| 2038-04-25 05:27 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.4 | 0.847 | Cetus | 27.3° |
| 2038-06-02 06:04 | Superior conjunction | -2.5 | 1.322 | Taurus | 0.6° |
| 2038-07-07 16:07 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.6 | 0.836 | Cancer | 26.1° |
| 2038-08-04 11:55 | Inferior conjunction | +5.5 | 0.598 | Cancer | 4.9° |
| 2038-08-22 16:19 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.0 | 0.909 | Cancer | 18.5° |
| 2038-09-16 18:22 | Superior conjunction | -1.8 | 1.382 | Leo | 1.6° |
| 2038-11-02 06:48 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -0.1 | 1.017 | Scorpius | 23.7° |
| 2038-11-23 11:57 | Inferior conjunction | +6.5 | 0.678 | Libra | 0.7° |
| 2038-12-11 04:31 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.5 | 1.011 | Libra | 20.9° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | -0.4 | 1.096 | Ophiuchus | 22° W | Morning sky |
| Jan 15 | -0.4 | 1.298 | Sagittarius | 17° W | Morning sky |
| Feb 1 | -0.8 | 1.405 | Capricornus | 8° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 15 | -1.6 | 1.375 | Aquarius | 3° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 1 | -1.2 | 1.176 | Pisces | 14° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 15 | +0.4 | 0.808 | Pisces | 17° E | Evening sky |
| Apr 1 | +4.1 | 0.594 | Pisces | 8° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Apr 15 | +0.9 | 0.710 | Pisces | 24° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +0.2 | 0.943 | Pisces | 26° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | -0.5 | 1.161 | Aries | 19° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 1 | -2.3 | 1.322 | Taurus | 1° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Jun 15 | -0.9 | 1.203 | Gemini | 15° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 1 | +0.3 | 0.936 | Cancer | 25° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 15 | +1.0 | 0.723 | Cancer | 24° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 1 | +4.8 | 0.591 | Cancer | 7° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Aug 15 | +1.4 | 0.737 | Cancer | 16° W | Morning sky |
| Sep 1 | -1.1 | 1.167 | Leo | 14° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 15 | -1.8 | 1.374 | Leo | 2° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Oct 1 | -0.6 | 1.386 | Virgo | 11° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Oct 15 | -0.2 | 1.282 | Libra | 19° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | -0.1 | 1.032 | Scorpius | 24° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +0.8 | 0.752 | Ophiuchus | 16° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +0.6 | 0.782 | Libra | 16° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 15 | -0.5 | 1.105 | Scorpius | 20° 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 2038 (magnitude -2.3); 12 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.