{"version":1,"generatedAt":"2026-10-28T10:38:56.207Z","kind":"greatest-elongation","name":"Mercury at greatest western elongation, 2 Aug 2026","at":"2026-08-02T08:10:00.000Z","planets":[{"name":"Mercury","magnitude":0.14}],"place":{"ra":7.445,"dec":20.12,"frame":"J2000","raUnit":"hours","decUnit":"degrees"},"degreesFromSun":19.5,"sky":"morning","elongationDeg":19.5,"litFraction":0.39,"visibility":{"longitude":0,"timeZone":"UTC","twilightSunAltitude":-6,"bands":[{"latitude":60,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 3° up in the NE at 02:40; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2026-08-02T02:40:00.000Z","altitude":3.1,"azimuth":54,"sunAltitude":-6.2}},{"latitude":45,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 8° up in the ENE at 04:10; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2026-08-02T04:10:00.000Z","altitude":8.2,"azimuth":70,"sunAltitude":-6.4}},{"latitude":30,"verdict":"clear","summary":"11° up in the ENE at 04:50","best":{"at":"2026-08-02T04:50:00.000Z","altitude":11,"azimuth":73,"sunAltitude":-6.7}},{"latitude":15,"verdict":"clear","summary":"13° up in the ENE at 05:20","best":{"at":"2026-08-02T05:20:00.000Z","altitude":13.2,"azimuth":72,"sunAltitude":-6.1}},{"latitude":0,"verdict":"clear","summary":"13° up in the ENE at 05:40","best":{"at":"2026-08-02T05:40:00.000Z","altitude":13,"azimuth":69,"sunAltitude":-6.3}},{"latitude":-15,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 10° up in the ENE at 05:50; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2026-08-02T05:50:00.000Z","altitude":9.6,"azimuth":66,"sunAltitude":-8.3}},{"latitude":-30,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 7° up in the ENE at 06:10; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2026-08-02T06:10:00.000Z","altitude":7.2,"azimuth":62,"sunAltitude":-8}},{"latitude":-45,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 5° up in the NE at 06:40; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2026-08-02T06:40:00.000Z","altitude":4.5,"azimuth":56,"sunAltitude":-6.7}}]},"links":{"page":"https://www.whatthestar.com/planets/mercury-greatest-elongation-2026-08-02","map":"https://www.whatthestar.com/explore?ra=7.445&dec=20.12&fov=40&t=2026-08-02T08%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"}]}