:: Mercury ::
Finding Mercury
Mercury, the innermost planet in our solar system, is never far away from the Sun as seen from Earth. The problem with seeing it is that
it is often hidden infront of the Sun making it impossible to see. Once every 4 months or so there is a period when mercury can be seen
just after sunset in the western sky. There is also a period when you can see Mercury in the eastern sky just before dawn. In both of these
cases, Mercury is very bright and can been seen with the naked eye.
See below the dates when Mercury is most visible:
Viewing Mercury safely through a telescope
Because Mercury is so close to the Sun you must take precautions when viewing it. You need to make sure that you have a proper Sun filter for the telescope that you own.
Below are a few links to help you find a solar filter:
The suppliers of some cheap refractor telescopes supply a welder's glass filter that screws onto the eyepiece. Do not use these! They may heat up and crack as you are looking through the telescope. A proper solar filter always goes on the front end of the telescope, blocking the sunlight before it enters the optical system.
Source: www.exploratorium.edu
Mercury is only 5% of the Earth's mass.
:: Facts ::
1 Mercurian day = 58.65 earth days
Orbits the Sun every 88 earth days
Distance from the sun: 36 million miles
Average temperatures are 800°F (427°C) in the day and -300°F (-183°C) at night
Mercury is only 5% of the Earth's mass
