Mercury: winged messenger of the gods...

For a few days just after sunset (from around 8.15 here in Norfolk) you can catch a glimpse of Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun. This tiny world is never easy to see, usually being obscured by the brightness of the Sun. When it's at the extreme limits of its orbit, however, it can be picked up as a bright 'star' in the east just before the Sun rises or, as tonight, just after it sets in the west.