Planets TonightMercury in 2046: brightness, position and events
Brightest-1.8around May 15
Closest (in table)0.574 au86 million km
Farthest1.428 au
Events this year13
Brightest last year-1.6
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2046-01-16 17:01 | Superior conjunction | -1.4 | 1.424 | Sagittarius | 2.0° |
| 2046-02-15 15:24 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | -0.4 | 0.944 | Aquarius | 18.1° |
| 2046-03-03 05:31 | Inferior conjunction | +5.5 | 0.632 | Aquarius | 3.7° |
| 2046-03-30 11:59 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.3 | 0.895 | Aquarius | 27.8° |
| 2046-05-10 17:38 | Superior conjunction | -2.5 | 1.323 | Aries | 0.0° |
| 2046-06-11 04:45 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.5 | 0.822 | Gemini | 24.1° |
| 2046-07-08 03:22 | Inferior conjunction | +5.6 | 0.568 | Gemini | 4.7° |
| 2046-07-28 23:59 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | +0.2 | 0.874 | Gemini | 19.8° |
| 2046-08-23 15:13 | Superior conjunction | -1.9 | 1.358 | Leo | 1.8° |
| 2046-10-08 01:00 | Greatest eastern elongation (evening) | +0.0 | 0.997 | Libra | 25.5° |
| 2046-10-31 16:02 | Inferior conjunction | +6.7 | 0.673 | Virgo | 0.6° |
| 2046-11-16 19:37 | Greatest western elongation (morning) | -0.5 | 0.997 | Virgo | 19.4° |
| 2046-12-27 11:34 | Superior conjunction | -1.3 | 1.444 | Sagittarius | 1.6° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | -0.7 | 1.412 | Sagittarius | 9° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Jan 15 | -1.3 | 1.428 | Sagittarius | 2° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 1 | -1.2 | 1.274 | Capricornus | 11° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 15 | -0.4 | 0.948 | Aquarius | 18° E | Evening sky |
| Mar 1 | +4.8 | 0.645 | Pisces | 5° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 15 | +1.2 | 0.687 | Aquarius | 21° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +0.3 | 0.924 | Aquarius | 28° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | -0.1 | 1.120 | Pisces | 23° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | -1.2 | 1.296 | Pisces | 10° W | Too close to the Sun |
| May 15 | -1.8 | 1.295 | Taurus | 6° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jun 1 | -0.1 | 1.008 | Gemini | 22° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 15 | +0.8 | 0.749 | Gemini | 24° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 1 | +3.7 | 0.574 | Gemini | 11° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jul 15 | +3.2 | 0.622 | Gemini | 12° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Aug 1 | -0.3 | 0.961 | Gemini | 19° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 15 | -1.5 | 1.274 | Cancer | 9° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 1 | -1.0 | 1.369 | Leo | 8° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 15 | -0.3 | 1.288 | Virgo | 18° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | -0.0 | 1.101 | Virgo | 25° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +0.2 | 0.865 | Libra | 24° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +5.9 | 0.676 | Virgo | 2° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Nov 15 | -0.4 | 0.963 | Virgo | 19° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 1 | -0.7 | 1.295 | Libra | 14° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 15 | -0.8 | 1.425 | Ophiuchus | 7° 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 2046 (magnitude -1.8); 13 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.