dipper@utastro.UUCP (Debbie Byrd) (11/23/84)
Mercury hasn't been visible at all this month. But it may appear in the southwest this evening -- or tomorrow. More about Mercury -- when we come back. November 23 Mercury and the Moon The shyest of the bright planets, Mercury, has been hidden in the glare of the sun all this past month. But Mercury is now peeking above the southwestern horizon after sunset -- just far enough above to be barely noticeable. To see Mercury, you would have to look toward the southwest right after sunset -- just as the sky is turning dark. When you look, you'll notice two very bright objects midway up in the southwestern sky. These are the planets Venus and Jupiter. We'll be talking more about them here tomorrow. Mercury is lower in the southwestern sky than Venus and Jupiter. The planet is so near the horizon that trees or buildings would hide it from view. But, though it's low in the sky, Mercury is the brightest thing in its vicinity. In Friday evening's sky, there's also another object in the southwest -- an incredibly narrow crescent moon. The moon is now just one day past new -- past the moment when the moon lay in between the Earth and sun. It's moving out of the sun's glare now -- and will be in the west Friday evening -- but may be too fragile and slim to be visible to the naked eye. On the other hand, Saturday evening, the moon will have waxed a little larger. Then it can help you see Mercury -- since it'll be located just above that planet. To see Mercury and the moon on Saturday, look in the southwest -- shortly after the sun goes down. Script by Deborah Byrd. (c) Copyright 1983, 1984 McDonald Observatory, University of Texas at Austin