A rare chance to see the planet Mercury!

Tonight Mercury and Venus were visible just after sunset. Since they are both nearer to the Sun than we are, they display phases (like mini Moons!) Venus has a dense, almost opaque atmosphere, so it's incredibly reflective: impossible to miss! Mercury is so close to the Sun that it's rare to be able to catch a glimpse - it has to be at one or other extremes of its path around the Sun.

Also tonight, a beautiful full Moon: this ((in keeping with modern journalistic traditions!) has a name - the Snow Moon!