Mercury’s spectacular journey: Al-Ujairi Scientific Center marks rare celestial event
Observers and amateurs in Kuwait will be able to monitor and see the planet Mercury using a small telescope, as its stay in the sky until sunset is the longest possible period.
The Al-Ujairi Scientific Center announced that the planet Mercury began its elongation journey starting today, Sunday, reaching its farthest distance from the Sun on March 24.
The center stated that this phenomenon is an important astronomical event. It provides a wonderful opportunity to observe and see the planet Mercury from the surface of the Earth for an extended period in the evening sky above the western horizon after sunset. This is because the glare of the Sun typically obscures
Mercury most days of the year, given its proximity to the Sun’s orbit.
The center added that the planet Mercury last reached its maximum elongation with the Sun above the western horizon on Thursday, August 10, 2023 AD, and it will reach this point again on Sunday, March 24.
It explained that elongation is defined as the maximum angle between the center of the Sun and the center of the planet relative to the observer on the surface of the Earth.
He continued, “Observers and amateurs in Kuwait will be able to monitor and see the planet Mercury using a small telescope, as its stay in the sky until sunset is the longest possible period.”
