Jeddah Astronomy: Mercury at Solar Peak
Today, Mercury has reached the point in its orbit farthest from the Sun, known as aphelion, where the distance is approximately 69.8 million kilometers. This phenomenon reveals the elliptical nature of the planet's orbit, as Mercury moves away from the Sun at certain times and comes closer at others, with the distance at perihelion being around 46 million kilometers. Although reaching aphelion does not prevent Mercury from being visible in the sky, the ability to observe it depends on the relative positions of the Sun, Earth, and Mercury—not just the distance. Its orbital speed decreases as it moves farther from the Sun, according to Kepler's Second Law, which states that the planet's speed increases as it approaches the Sun and decreases as it recedes. This reflects the nature of its movement around the Sun, completing a full orbit approximately every 88 days.
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