Pink Planet in Sky As Mercury Shines Bright After Sunset (VIDEO)

Watch out for the Pink Planet in the sky this February. The planet Mercury is about to make its best 2-week apparition of the year for backyard sky watchers. Look west at sunset for a piercing pink planet surrounded by twilight blue.

The show begins half hour after sunset. Scan the horizon where the sun’s glow is strongest. If the sky is clear, Mercury should pop out of the twilight, as a bright pink of light. Mercury is not actually pink, it turns pink due to the rosy hues of the setting sun.

From February 11th to 21st, Mercury will be visible for as much as an hour after sunset!

Use your binoculars to see the planet.

VIDEO

credit: NASA