The closest planet to the sun is also the most difficult of the "bright planets" to spot in our evening or morning sky. Over the next couple of weeks, little Mercury can be seen if it is clear and if one knows when and where to look.
Unlike the other bright planets — Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn — Mercury is easily lost in the twilight. Tonight it sits just above the western horizon at about 7 p.m. How far above? Extend our hand on your outstretched arm. Mercury's distance will be about 1/4 the distance between the tips of your thumb and little finger.
Mercury will appear as a "starlike" object. Over the next five nights or so, it will rise slightly higher before its luminosity begins to drop. If you see it tonight, you are looking 100 million miles to the smallest planet which spans about one-third of the Earth's diameter.
Such is our view from Earth...
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