Are you wondering where Mercury went following its transit over the Sun on November 8? It is entering the pre-dawn southeastern sky. It's about to commence a fine apparition as a morning star during November and December.

The elusive little planet will end its apparent retrograde motion on November 17. As viewed from Chicago, Mercury's greatest altitude at 30 minutes before sunrise will be 12.2° on November 24. It will reach its Greatest Western Elongation of 19.9° on November 25.

On December 10 Mercury will form part of a trio with Jupiter and Mars. At the grouping's tightest, Mars will be separated by 58.7 arcminutes from both Mercury and Jupiter. The trio will be about 15° west of the Sun. Considered as pairs, Mercury will pass Jupiter by only 7.4 arcminutes on December 10. It will pass Mars by 34.6 arcminutes on December 11. Also on December 11 Mars will pass 47.6 arcminutes from Jupiter.

The waning crescent Moon will be in the vicinity of Mercury on November 19 and December 19. But on neither occasion will the two get as close as 5°.

Mercury will be brightening in stellar magnitude from +3.1 to -0.7 throughout the period of visibility. It will reach Superior Conjunction on the other side of the Sun on January 6.

I've created a panoramic graphic that previews the entire apparition. It displays the southeastern sky as seen from Chicago 30 minutes before sunrise from November 11 to December 23, although it should well serve most northern hemisphere observers. To see it, go to:

http://www.curtrenz.com/astronomical.html

The graphic may be removed late in December.