{"version":1,"generatedAt":"2026-10-28T10:38:56.207Z","kind":"greatest-elongation","name":"Mercury at greatest eastern elongation, 3 Feb 2027","at":"2027-02-03T06:20:00.000Z","planets":[{"name":"Mercury","magnitude":-0.51}],"place":{"ra":22.264,"dec":-10.36,"frame":"J2000","raUnit":"hours","decUnit":"degrees"},"degreesFromSun":18.3,"sky":"evening","elongationDeg":18.3,"litFraction":0.53,"visibility":{"longitude":0,"timeZone":"UTC","twilightSunAltitude":-6,"bands":[{"latitude":60,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 7° up in the SW at 17:10; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2027-02-03T17:10:00.000Z","altitude":7,"azimuth":236,"sunAltitude":-6.5}},{"latitude":45,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 9° up in the WSW at 17:50; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2027-02-03T17:50:00.000Z","altitude":9,"azimuth":246,"sunAltitude":-7.5}},{"latitude":30,"verdict":"clear","summary":"11° up in the WSW at 18:10","best":{"at":"2027-02-03T18:10:00.000Z","altitude":10.7,"azimuth":252,"sunAltitude":-7.3}},{"latitude":15,"verdict":"clear","summary":"10° up in the WSW at 18:30","best":{"at":"2027-02-02T18:30:00.000Z","altitude":10.2,"azimuth":256,"sunAltitude":-8.1}},{"latitude":0,"verdict":"clear","summary":"11° up in the W at 18:40","best":{"at":"2027-02-02T18:40:00.000Z","altitude":11,"azimuth":259,"sunAltitude":-6.3}},{"latitude":-15,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 9° up in the W at 19:00; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2027-02-02T19:00:00.000Z","altitude":8.6,"azimuth":261,"sunAltitude":-6.4}},{"latitude":-30,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 4° up in the W at 19:30; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2027-02-02T19:30:00.000Z","altitude":4.1,"azimuth":260,"sunAltitude":-7.3}},{"latitude":-45,"verdict":"lost","summary":"It is below the horizon whenever the sky is dark","best":{"at":"2027-02-02T20:10:00.000Z","altitude":-0.5,"azimuth":255,"sunAltitude":-7.2}}]},"links":{"page":"https://www.whatthestar.com/planets/mercury-greatest-elongation-2027-02-03","map":"https://www.whatthestar.com/explore?ra=22.264&dec=-10.36&fov=40&t=2027-02-03T06%3A20%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"}]}