Taipei: Two unique celestial events featuring Mercury will be visible to the naked eye on the evenings of June 17 and 18, provided weather conditions are favorable, the Taipei Astronomical Museum announced Sunday. Mercury, the planet closest to the sun, often remains hidden due to the sun’s glare, but mid-June offers a rare opportunity to view it low in the western sky after sunset, particularly with binoculars.

According to Focus Taiwan, the first event on Tuesday will see Mercury at its greatest eastern elongation, meaning it will appear farthest from the sun in the evening sky. At this point, Mercury will be separated from the Sun by 24.5 degrees, providing one of the year’s best chances to observe the elusive planet. The museum reports that Mercury will be approximately 22 degrees above the western horizon around sunset.

On Wednesday evening, Mercury will join Venus, Jupiter, and a crescent moon in a unique vertical arrangement in the western sky. Mercury will be at the bottom of the lineup, followed by
Jupiter, the moon, and Venus at the top. The museum suggests that the best time to catch these events is between 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. from a vantage point with a clear view of the western horizon.

Wu Tien-yen, a researcher at the museum, cautions that unstable weather conditions could impact visibility, with cloud cover being a significant factor in determining viewing success.