![]() The best time to see it during the day is when the planet is near greatest elongation, and relatively near the Moon, which serves as a visual anchor. ![]() Venus is the brightest starlike object in the night sky, and can even be seen in broad daylight with the naked eye. The previous transit was on 2006 November 08 and the next transit will occur on 2016 May 09. There are about 13 transits of Mercury each century all fall within several days of May 08 and November 10. A 20-cm or larger telescope is usually required to see any detail on the disc, which shows vague streaks and patches like those of Mars, only much fainter. Being an inner planet, Mercury can pass directly between the Earth and the Sun, an event known as a transit. Like the Moon, Mercury is faintest when in crescent phase and brightest when full. A telescope reveals a small disc, never larger than 12.3″ across, that, like the Moon and Venus, goes through a sequence of phases. ![]() They are often the brightest objects in the sky, and as they move in their orbits around the Sun they are at times arranged in attractive groupings with each other or the Moon.īeing the innermost planet, Mercury is near the Sun, and can only be seen low in the east just before sunrise, or low in the west just after sunset. Binoculars show it as a bright star, yellowish or pale orange in colour. ![]() The five (classic) naked-eye planets – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn – are probably the most popular observing targets for amateurs. ![]()
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