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Tribune News Network
Doha
MERCURY will be at inferior conjunction with the Sun on Sunday (July 21) at 3.30pm local time, passing in between the Sun and Earth, Qatar Calendar House (QCH) announced on Saturday.
QCH’s expert astronomer Dr Beshir Marzouk said, “During inferior conjunction of Mercury, the centres of three celestial objects (Sun, Earth and Mercury) will be aligned on a straight line.
Since Mercury will move very close to the Sun during this celestial phenomenon, it will be impossible to observe the spectacle, Dr Marzouk added.
However, residents of Qatar and other Arab countries will be able to observe Mercury over the eastern horizon from places free of environmental pollution during the second week of August, he noted.
An inferior conjunction of Mercury is important for two reasons: First, it is an indicator of Mercury’s transition from disappearance over western horizon after sunset to reappearance in the morning sky over eastern horizon before sunrise, and second, the inferior conjunction phenomenon occurs only for two planets of the solar system (Venus and Mercury), Dr Marzouk added.
An inferior conjunction of Mercury occurred last time on March 15, 2019 and it will take place next on November 11, 2019.
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21/07/2019
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