{"version":1,"generatedAt":"2026-10-28T10:38:56.207Z","kind":"greatest-elongation","name":"Mercury at greatest western elongation, 3 Apr 2026","at":"2026-04-03T22:50:00.000Z","planets":[{"name":"Mercury","magnitude":0.34}],"place":{"ra":23.189,"dec":-7.09,"frame":"J2000","raUnit":"hours","decUnit":"degrees"},"degreesFromSun":27.8,"sky":"morning","elongationDeg":27.8,"litFraction":0.5,"visibility":{"longitude":0,"timeZone":"UTC","twilightSunAltitude":-6,"bands":[{"latitude":60,"verdict":"lost","summary":"It is below the horizon whenever the sky is dark","best":{"at":"2026-04-04T04:30:00.000Z","altitude":-5.2,"azimuth":95,"sunAltitude":-6.4}},{"latitude":45,"verdict":"lost","summary":"Lost in the horizon's haze: 2° up at best once it is dark","best":{"at":"2026-04-04T05:00:00.000Z","altitude":1.5,"azimuth":101,"sunAltitude":-7}},{"latitude":30,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 9° up in the ESE at 05:20; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2026-04-04T05:20:00.000Z","altitude":8.6,"azimuth":103,"sunAltitude":-6.4}},{"latitude":15,"verdict":"clear","summary":"14° up in the E at 05:30","best":{"at":"2026-04-04T05:30:00.000Z","altitude":14.1,"azimuth":101,"sunAltitude":-6.5}},{"latitude":0,"verdict":"clear","summary":"17° up in the E at 05:30","best":{"at":"2026-04-04T05:30:00.000Z","altitude":16.5,"azimuth":97,"sunAltitude":-8.2}},{"latitude":-15,"verdict":"clear","summary":"20° up in the E at 05:40","best":{"at":"2026-04-04T05:40:00.000Z","altitude":20.2,"azimuth":92,"sunAltitude":-7}},{"latitude":-30,"verdict":"clear","summary":"20° up in the E at 05:40","best":{"at":"2026-04-04T05:40:00.000Z","altitude":20,"azimuth":86,"sunAltitude":-7.8}},{"latitude":-45,"verdict":"clear","summary":"20° up in the E at 05:50","best":{"at":"2026-04-04T05:50:00.000Z","altitude":20.1,"azimuth":79,"sunAltitude":-6.3}}]},"links":{"page":"https://www.whatthestar.com/planets/mercury-greatest-elongation-2026-04-03","map":"https://www.whatthestar.com/explore?ra=23.189&dec=-7.09&fov=40&t=2026-04-03T22%3A50%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"}]}