{"version":1,"generatedAt":"2026-10-28T10:38:56.207Z","kind":"conjunction","name":"Mercury and Mars 1.7° apart, 20 Apr 2026","at":"2026-04-20T22:52:05.990Z","planets":[{"name":"Mercury","magnitude":-0.19},{"name":"Mars","magnitude":1.22}],"place":{"ra":0.554,"dec":1.66,"frame":"J2000","raUnit":"hours","decUnit":"degrees"},"degreesFromSun":22.3,"sky":"morning","separationDeg":1.65,"visibility":{"longitude":0,"timeZone":"UTC","twilightSunAltitude":-6,"bands":[{"latitude":60,"verdict":"lost","summary":"The pair is below the horizon whenever the sky is dark","best":{"at":"2026-04-21T03:32:05.990Z","altitude":-7.4,"azimuth":75,"sunAltitude":-6.6}},{"latitude":45,"verdict":"lost","summary":"The pair is below the horizon whenever the sky is dark","best":{"at":"2026-04-21T04:32:05.990Z","altitude":-0.6,"azimuth":88,"sunAltitude":-6.3}},{"latitude":30,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 5° up in the E at 05:02; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2026-04-21T05:02:05.990Z","altitude":5.3,"azimuth":92,"sunAltitude":-6}},{"latitude":15,"verdict":"low","summary":"Low: 8° up in the E at 05:12; a clear, flat horizon needed","best":{"at":"2026-04-21T05:12:05.990Z","altitude":8,"azimuth":91,"sunAltitude":-7.9}},{"latitude":0,"verdict":"clear","summary":"13° up in the E at 05:32","best":{"at":"2026-04-21T05:32:05.990Z","altitude":12.9,"azimuth":89,"sunAltitude":-6.5}},{"latitude":-15,"verdict":"clear","summary":"15° up in the E at 05:42","best":{"at":"2026-04-21T05:42:05.990Z","altitude":14.6,"azimuth":85,"sunAltitude":-7}},{"latitude":-30,"verdict":"clear","summary":"15° up in the E at 05:52","best":{"at":"2026-04-21T05:52:05.990Z","altitude":14.8,"azimuth":80,"sunAltitude":-7.3}},{"latitude":-45,"verdict":"clear","summary":"15° up in the ENE at 06:12","best":{"at":"2026-04-21T06:12:05.990Z","altitude":14.6,"azimuth":71,"sunAltitude":-6}}]},"links":{"page":"https://www.whatthestar.com/planets/mercury-mars-conjunction-2026-04-20","map":"https://www.whatthestar.com/explore?ra=0.554&dec=1.66&fov=40&t=2026-04-20T22%3A52%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"}]}