{"version":1,"generatedAt":"2026-10-28T10:38:56.207Z","kind":"greatest-elongation","name":"Mercury at greatest eastern elongation, 19 Feb 2026","at":"2026-02-19T17:40:00.000Z","planets":[{"name":"Mercury","magnitude":-0.43}],"place":{"ra":23.283,"dec":-3.34,"frame":"J2000","raUnit":"hours","decUnit":"degrees"},"degreesFromSun":18.1,"sky":"evening","elongationDeg":18.1,"litFraction":0.5,"visibility":{"longitude":0,"timeZone":"UTC","twilightSunAltitude":-6,"bands":[{"latitude":60,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 8° up in the WSW at 17:50; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2026-02-19T17:50:00.000Z","altitude":8.2,"azimuth":249,"sunAltitude":-6.6}},{"latitude":45,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 10° up in the WSW at 18:10; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2026-02-19T18:10:00.000Z","altitude":9.9,"azimuth":255,"sunAltitude":-7.1}},{"latitude":30,"verdict":"clear","summary":"11° up in the W at 18:20","best":{"at":"2026-02-19T18:20:00.000Z","altitude":11.2,"azimuth":260,"sunAltitude":-6.8}},{"latitude":15,"verdict":"clear","summary":"11° up in the W at 18:30","best":{"at":"2026-02-19T18:30:00.000Z","altitude":11.1,"azimuth":264,"sunAltitude":-6.7}},{"latitude":0,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 10° up in the W at 18:40; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2026-02-19T18:40:00.000Z","altitude":9.9,"azimuth":267,"sunAltitude":-6.4}},{"latitude":-15,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 6° up in the W at 19:00; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2026-02-19T19:00:00.000Z","altitude":5.5,"azimuth":268,"sunAltitude":-8.1}},{"latitude":-30,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 4° up in the W at 19:10; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2026-02-19T19:10:00.000Z","altitude":3.6,"azimuth":268,"sunAltitude":-6.3}},{"latitude":-45,"verdict":"lost","summary":"It is below the horizon whenever the sky is dark","best":{"at":"2026-02-19T19:40:00.000Z","altitude":-1.4,"azimuth":264,"sunAltitude":-6.9}}]},"links":{"page":"https://www.whatthestar.com/planets/mercury-greatest-elongation-2026-02-19","map":"https://www.whatthestar.com/explore?ra=23.283&dec=-3.34&fov=40&t=2026-02-19T17%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"}]}