Venus and Mercury

If you are where you can see the western horizon, and the weather is clear, be sure to go take a look from about 5:15PM to 5:45 PM at the planets Venus, at left, and Mercury, on the right.  This is called a "conjunction" of the planets, and it is fairly rare.  I think I saw the statistic somewhere that less than one percent of people have seen the planet Mercury.  It is elusive, and fairly faint.  Because it is winter, the skies are clearer and it is more easily visible.  I have looked so many times for Mercury in the summer, but the thick haze at the horizon always obscures it.  So this is a treat, and I hope you get a chance in the next few days.  Each day they will be moving further apart  and in 15 days Mercury will quickly move below the horizon.  You might want to look at the planets with binoculars if you have them.  Binos won't help find the planets, but will give an interesting view with some magnification.