{"version":1,"generatedAt":"2026-10-28T10:38:56.207Z","kind":"greatest-elongation","name":"Mercury at greatest eastern elongation, 12 Oct 2026","at":"2026-10-12T10:10:00.000Z","planets":[{"name":"Mercury","magnitude":0.03}],"place":{"ra":14.691,"dec":-18.72,"frame":"J2000","raUnit":"hours","decUnit":"degrees"},"degreesFromSun":25.2,"sky":"evening","elongationDeg":25.2,"litFraction":0.61,"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":"2026-10-12T17:50:00.000Z","altitude":-5.9,"azimuth":242,"sunAltitude":-7}},{"latitude":45,"verdict":"lost","summary":"It is below the horizon whenever the sky is dark","best":{"at":"2026-10-12T18:00:00.000Z","altitude":-0.2,"azimuth":243,"sunAltitude":-7.8}},{"latitude":30,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 7° up in the WSW at 18:00; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2026-10-12T18:00:00.000Z","altitude":6.5,"azimuth":244,"sunAltitude":-6.7}},{"latitude":15,"verdict":"clear","summary":"11° up in the WSW at 18:10","best":{"at":"2026-10-12T18:10:00.000Z","altitude":10.7,"azimuth":247,"sunAltitude":-7.6}},{"latitude":0,"verdict":"clear","summary":"14° up in the WSW at 18:20","best":{"at":"2026-10-12T18:20:00.000Z","altitude":13.9,"azimuth":250,"sunAltitude":-8.3}},{"latitude":-15,"verdict":"clear","summary":"18° up in the WSW at 18:20","best":{"at":"2026-10-12T18:20:00.000Z","altitude":18.4,"azimuth":255,"sunAltitude":-6.1}},{"latitude":-30,"verdict":"clear","summary":"18° up in the WSW at 18:40","best":{"at":"2026-10-12T18:40:00.000Z","altitude":17.5,"azimuth":258,"sunAltitude":-7.6}},{"latitude":-45,"verdict":"clear","summary":"17° up in the W at 19:00","best":{"at":"2026-10-12T19:00:00.000Z","altitude":16.6,"azimuth":259,"sunAltitude":-7.3}}]},"links":{"page":"https://www.whatthestar.com/planets/mercury-greatest-elongation-2026-10-12","map":"https://www.whatthestar.com/explore?ra=14.691&dec=-18.72&fov=40&t=2026-10-12T10%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"}]}