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Observation Settings

Or select it on the map:
This Earth map fragment is intended to illustrate celestial motion across the sky, emphasizing both bearing and elevational perspectives. The map's center point corresponds to the transit, showcasing celestial objects at their highest point, while elevation gradually decreases towards the map edges. This dynamic representation offers insights into the changing positions of celestial bodies with a focus on their bearing and elevational trajectories.
Your location: Santa Clara, United States
Timezone:
Latitude:
37.3541
Longitude:
-121.955

Mercury Position and Visibility Tonight

Mercury

Where is Mercury right now?

Mercury is located in the constellation Cetus, approximately 1.11 AU from Earth. Although it is currently above the horizon at an altitude of 18 degrees, Mercury is not visible because it is daytime.

Mercury Visibility on April 20

Mercury rises at sunrise

Mercury Rise and Set Timetable

TimeElevation
Moon Rise, 3.5% illuminated 05:3622°
Mercury transit09:4553°
Mercury set15:47
Astrosession begin19:20-40°
Moon Set21:08-51°
Astrosession end02:52-10°
Mercury rise03:44
Civil sunrise03:583°
Sunrise04:279°

Track Mercury Position Throughout the Night

← Mon, 20 April 2026 →

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe Mercury changing position in the night sky.

Upcoming Events

TimeDescriptionConstellation
Fri, 15 May 2026, 15:00Taurus
Tue, 16 June 2026Greatest Elongation of MercuryGemini
Sun, 28 June 2026Retrograde motion of Mercury beginsGemini
Mon, 13 July 2026, 15:00Gemini
Thu, 23 July 2026Retrograde motion of Mercury endsGemini

Current position of Mercury in Solar System

Earth Mercury
DateMon, 20 April 2026
Distance from Earth to Mercury1.1139 AU (166,637,068km)
Elongation23°
Angular diameter6"
Magnitude-0.2
This interactive projection shows the current positions of Mercury, Earth, and the Sun in the Solar System. By sliding the image left or right, you can change the day of the year and see how Mercury and Earth move along their orbits around the Sun.

Finder Chart for Mercury

Double-click to unlock the map.
Object nameMercury
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
Mercury coordinates0.50613, 0.42636
Center coordinates0.50613, 0.42636

Mercury Passage Through Night

Double-click to unlock the map.

Current position of Mercury

Time14:15
Latitude37.3541
Longitude-121.955
Mercury elevation18°
Mercury Azimuth104°
Here you can see the current position of the Mercury on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool allows you to track the Mercury's movement throughout the night, providing you with accurate and up-to-date information.

Annual motion of Mercury


Mercury will become visible in May, 25. After being too close to the Sun to observe, it will reappear in the night sky. Starting from May, 25, Mercury can be seen again, providing a good opportunity for observation.
Time
DateMon, 20 April 2026
Twighlight start19:15
Twighlight end02:47
Twighlight duration8h 31m
Rise03:42
Set15:43
Elevation at transit53°
Transit time09:42
Equatorial coordinatesRA: 00h 30m 32s", Dec: 00° 26' 45s
Magnitude-0
ConstellationCetus
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a Mercury, providing a comprehensive overview of its daily appearances and transit times throughout the year.
The graph is structured with the vertical axis showing the hours of the day, ranging from 12 AM to 12 AM the next day, while the horizontal axis spans each day of the year.
The reddish shaded area indicates the periods when the Mercury is above the horizon, visible to observers. The white line marks the times when the celestial object reaches its highest point in the sky each day, known as the transit.
You can also view detailed visibility information in a dedicated table, including exact rise, transit, and set times for each date.

Astrometric & Physical Parameters of Mercury

Coordinates & Visibility

Right Ascension0.50613°
Declination0.42636°
Magnitude-0.1
ConstellationCetus
Elevation18°
Azimuth103.8°

Basic Properties

Mass, kg3.302E+23
Mean density, g/cm³5.427

Rotation

Sidereal rotation period, days58.6463 d
Mean solar day, hours175.9421 d

Surface & Atmosphere

Surface gravity, m/s²3.701
Escape velocity, km/s4.435
Mean temperature, K440

Brightness

Visual magnitude V(1,0)-0.42

Data Acknowledgment

Our solar system data—including planetary physical and orbital parameters—comes from the Solar System OpenData API , maintained by Le Système Solaire. We thank Christophe and the contributors for making this open data available.