{"version":1,"generatedAt":"2026-10-28T10:38:56.207Z","kind":"greatest-elongation","name":"Mercury at greatest eastern elongation, 15 Jun 2026","at":"2026-06-15T20:10:00.000Z","planets":[{"name":"Mercury","magnitude":0.52}],"place":{"ra":7.372,"dec":23.11,"frame":"J2000","raUnit":"hours","decUnit":"degrees"},"degreesFromSun":24.5,"sky":"evening","elongationDeg":24.5,"litFraction":0.38,"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":"2026-06-15T23:10:00.000Z","altitude":-1,"azimuth":324,"sunAltitude":-6}},{"latitude":45,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 9° up in the WNW at 20:30; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2026-06-15T20:30:00.000Z","altitude":9,"azimuth":294,"sunAltitude":-6.5}},{"latitude":30,"verdict":"clear","summary":"13° up in the WNW at 19:40","best":{"at":"2026-06-15T19:40:00.000Z","altitude":12.8,"azimuth":289,"sunAltitude":-7.8}},{"latitude":15,"verdict":"clear","summary":"17° up in the WNW at 19:00","best":{"at":"2026-06-15T19:00:00.000Z","altitude":16.5,"azimuth":290,"sunAltitude":-7.2}},{"latitude":0,"verdict":"clear","summary":"18° up in the WNW at 18:30","best":{"at":"2026-06-15T18:30:00.000Z","altitude":17.7,"azimuth":294,"sunAltitude":-6.7}},{"latitude":-15,"verdict":"clear","summary":"15° up in the WNW at 18:10","best":{"at":"2026-06-15T18:10:00.000Z","altitude":15.4,"azimuth":300,"sunAltitude":-8}},{"latitude":-30,"verdict":"clear","summary":"13° up in the NW at 17:40","best":{"at":"2026-06-15T17:40:00.000Z","altitude":13,"azimuth":307,"sunAltitude":-7.3}},{"latitude":-45,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 9° up in the NW at 17:00; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2026-06-15T17:00:00.000Z","altitude":9,"azimuth":316,"sunAltitude":-6.3}}]},"links":{"page":"https://www.whatthestar.com/planets/mercury-greatest-elongation-2026-06-15","map":"https://www.whatthestar.com/explore?ra=7.372&dec=23.11&fov=40&t=2026-06-15T20%3A10%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"}]}