Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Tuesday, December 4th.  The sun will rise at 8:02.  It’ll be up for 8 hours and 59 minutes, setting at 5:02.   The moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 10:59 this evening.

The planet Mercury has joined the morning planets for a week or so.  Mercury can be best spotted low in the east southeast starting about 7 a.m.  It will be below and slightly left of Venus, the brightest planet, about the same distance below as Saturn is above Venus.  They’re just about in straight line.  Binoculars will help in the search.  Once found Mercury may be tracked past 7:30.  Mercury will be visible for about a week as become somewhat brighter as it does.  That’s because Mercury’s phase at its half illuminated today at its greatest elongation from the sun.  It will be becoming more and more full as it moves around the sun mostly away from us now.  Mercury is a prise, few people have ever seen it.

Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan.  They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Mercury animation starting December 4, 2012. Created using Stellarium

Note the passage of the moon on the mornings of the 10th and 11th.  The moon will actually be a thin crescent.