Over the next few nights you will be able to see the Mercury in the night sky, according to Space.com.
The planet has been slightly visible the last few weeks since it has been near to Venus and previously Jupiter. However, as of today June 20 the window in which Mercury will be visible is closing “as [it] passes its maximum elongation from the sun.” It travels past Earth and the sun on July 9.
Throughout the next few nights Mercury can be seen as a minute dot right under Venus. The planet is at its closet to Venus—a little less than two degrees apart—but will also be close July 19 or July 21.
You will not need a high powered telescope to see Mercury, but it is smart to look for the planet approximately 30 minutes after your local sunset. If you look too early the glare in the sky will hide it. If you look too late, the low light will prevent its visibility. It should be fairly easy to see the planet with binoculars. Once you’ve looked at it a few times, you should be able to spot it with the naked eye.
Also occurring this week, on June 21at 1:04 a.m. EDT, is the summer solstice—when the “sun reaches its most northern declination.” This signifies the northern hemisphere is halfway through summer and the southern hemisphere is halfway through winter.
In the Northern Hemisphere, at noon local time, the sun will be as high in the sky as possible. It will give the most heat it can give. In the Southern Hemisphere the exact opposite will be true.
The reason why this date signifies the beginning of the season but is in the middle of summer/winter is because the sun’s effects are not immediate. This makes the seasons fall behind—the summer’s hottest days (and the winter’s coldest days) arrive 1-2 months later.
The solstices have signified key dates for humans. A majority of calendars begin their years near to the winter solstice. Knowing the solstice’s specific date helped adjust the calendar. Structures such as Stonehenge in England were created to help determine the points where the sun rose and set.
