If you’re looking to catch a glimpse of Mercury and Mars, mark November 12 on your calendar. As the sun sets, look low on the southwestern horizon. Mercury will be about five degrees above the horizon, while Mars will be just one degree to the upper right. To make this easier, you can measure the degrees with your fingers—your three middle fingers held out at arm’s length will cover about five degrees, and your pinky will cover one degree.
Both planets will be hard to see at first due to the sunlight. As the sun dips below the horizon, they will become more visible. A clear view of the southwest will give you the best chance to spot them before they vanish about an hour after sunset.
By the next evening, Mercury will have shifted to the right of Mars and will continue moving westward. Keep in mind that both planets are close to the sun this month, so be cautious if using binoculars or a telescope—make sure the sun is well below the horizon before gazing in that direction. You can find out local sunset times on TimeandDate.
Over the past few weeks, Mercury and Mars have been performing an impressive dance in the sky. Mercury, the innermost planet, appears to move from right to left below Mars. This movement is known as retrograde motion, where Mercury seems to travel backwards as it passes Earth in its orbit. Meanwhile, Mars continues to move in the opposite direction, a phenomenon called prograde motion.
Looking ahead, both planets will sink lower in the sky at sunset as we approach their solar conjunctions. For Mercury, this will occur on November 20, while Mars won’t reach its close point to the sun until January 2026.
For anyone keen on astronomy, these events offer a wonderful view and a chance to connect with the cosmos. If you take any great photos of this celestial dance, feel free to share them with fellow skywatchers!
