Today:
The next ten days feature a challenge for planet gazers in the western skies. You’ll need a low, level view to the west-northwest where, close to 9:30 each evening through the 4th of July, the reluctant planet Mercury manages to shine as a spark of light within the twilight, only one hand-width above the ideal horizon. Our late evenings, and Mercury’s orbit keeps it there through early July, including an encounter with the Moon tomorrow evening.
Thursday:
If you can find an unobstructed horizon to the north-northwest, then you might be able briefly glimpse a slender, waxing Crescent Moon side-by-side with the planet Mercury, starting near 9:20 through about 9:45 PM. Mercury will appear to the left of the Moon, and the pair just a hand-width above a level horizon. As they follow the Sun toward the horizon, the skies darken, but they settle lower, the pair setting by 10:00.
Friday:
While last night’s Crescent Moon appears well to the upper right of Mercury, during that same viewing window near 9:30, look to the left of Mercury for a pair of stars, the “twin stars” of Gemini, lowering toward the horizon. Pollux on the left, and Castor a bit higher and to the right, are not actually twin stars. They are not even related. Pollux is 34 light years away, while Castor is a more distant 55 light years.