Chennai: If you spotted six planets in a row in Jan, try your luck again at this month-end as Mercury will also be visible. The planet closest to the Sun may be visible from the last week of Feb, reaching its peak brightness on Feb 24. However, catching a glimpse of the smallest planet in the solar system may not be easy.
“The ideal time is just after sunset, but there may be very little time to spot Mercury. The planet may disappear into darkness quickly because it is aligned with the Sun. The sky must also be clear to see it,” said I K Lenin Tamilkovan, executive director, Tamil Nadu science and technology centre.
On Feb 24, Mercury may appear brighter than Saturn as it aligns with the gas giant. This may make it easier to spot the planet.
In Jan, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars were visible to the naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune were visible through a telescope in the third week of Jan. Experts said that the planets would be visible along with the moon at the beginning of Feb.
While Mercury could be spotted closer to the sun, Venus can be spotted in the west with Saturn and Jupiter, and Mars in the east with Neptune and Uranus.
According to Nasa, by mid-to-late Feb, Saturn appears less than 10 degrees above the horizon as sunset fades, making it difficult to observe for most people. While Mercury briefly joins Saturn in the post-sunset glow at the end of Feb, both planets will be too low and faint for most observers to spot.