{"version":1,"generatedAt":"2026-10-28T10:38:56.207Z","kind":"greatest-elongation","name":"Mercury at greatest western elongation, 19 Aug 2025","at":"2025-08-19T09:40:00.000Z","planets":[{"name":"Mercury","magnitude":-0.05}],"place":{"ra":8.662,"dec":17.49,"frame":"J2000","raUnit":"hours","decUnit":"degrees"},"degreesFromSun":18.6,"sky":"morning","elongationDeg":18.6,"litFraction":0.42,"visibility":{"longitude":0,"timeZone":"UTC","twilightSunAltitude":-6,"bands":[{"latitude":60,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 6° up in the ENE at 03:30; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2025-08-19T03:30:00.000Z","altitude":5.6,"azimuth":64,"sunAltitude":-6.5}},{"latitude":45,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 9° up in the ENE at 04:30; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2025-08-19T04:30:00.000Z","altitude":8.9,"azimuth":74,"sunAltitude":-6.8}},{"latitude":30,"verdict":"clear","summary":"11° up in the ENE at 05:00","best":{"at":"2025-08-19T05:00:00.000Z","altitude":10.9,"azimuth":76,"sunAltitude":-7}},{"latitude":15,"verdict":"clear","summary":"12° up in the ENE at 05:20","best":{"at":"2025-08-19T05:20:00.000Z","altitude":11.6,"azimuth":75,"sunAltitude":-7}},{"latitude":0,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 10° up in the ENE at 05:30; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2025-08-19T05:30:00.000Z","altitude":9.7,"azimuth":72,"sunAltitude":-8.2}},{"latitude":-15,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 10° up in the ENE at 05:50; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2025-08-19T05:50:00.000Z","altitude":9.5,"azimuth":69,"sunAltitude":-6.5}},{"latitude":-30,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 6° up in the ENE at 06:00; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2025-08-19T06:00:00.000Z","altitude":5.9,"azimuth":66,"sunAltitude":-7.1}},{"latitude":-45,"verdict":"lost","summary":"Lost in the horizon's haze: 3° up at best once it is dark","best":{"at":"2025-08-19T06:20:00.000Z","altitude":2.8,"azimuth":62,"sunAltitude":-6.1}}]},"links":{"page":"https://www.whatthestar.com/planets/mercury-greatest-elongation-2025-08-19","map":"https://www.whatthestar.com/explore?ra=8.662&dec=17.49&fov=40&t=2025-08-19T09%3A40%3A00.000Z"},"sources":[{"name":"P. Bretagnon and G. Francou, VSOP87, the planetary theory the map draws, held to JPL’s DE441 within about an arcsecond over 1900–2100","url":"https://www.whatthestar.com/credits#method-planets"},{"name":"U.S. Naval Observatory and Sea and Sky’s Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events: the dates and angles the tests hold these to","url":"https://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/"},{"name":"A. Mallama and J. Hilton (2018) and the Astronomical Almanac’s phase-angle series: the planets’ magnitudes","url":"https://www.whatthestar.com/credits#method-planets"},{"name":"J. Meeus, Astronomical Algorithms, ch. 25: the Sun, for the twilight each latitude is judged in","url":"https://www.whatthestar.com/credits#method-sun"}]}