Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2026 February 28
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                        Lunar Occultation of Mercury
              Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Fabrizio Melandri

   Explanation: [5]Fans of the western sky after sunset have lately
   enjoyed this month's remarkable array of bright planets. Witnessed from
   some [6]locations, on February 18 planet Mercury even appeared to slide
   behind the Moon, an event known as a lunar occultation. These two
   snapshots, taken in early evening skies show before and after
   telescopic views of the rare disappearance of [7]innermost planet
   behind young Moon. The top panel finds bright Mercury just visible at
   the northern (right) edge of the [8]earthshine-illuminated lunar disk.
   In the bottom panel the bright planet has emerged in darker skies
   beyond the Moon's sunlit crescent. As seen south of Sallisaw, Oklahoma,
   planet Earth, this lunar occultation of Mercury lasted only about 3
   minutes ([9]video). But you can still check out a parade of [10]planets
   tonight.

                      March 3: [11]Total Lunar Eclipse
                      Tomorrow's picture: [12]moon dark
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    Authors & editors: [24]Robert Nemiroff ([25]MTU) & [26]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([27]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [28]Specific rights apply.
            [29]NASA Web Privacy, [30]Accessibility, [31]Notices;
                A service of: [32]ASD at [33]NASA / [34]GSFC,
                         [35]NASA Science Activation
                           & [36]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2602/LunarOccultMercury_2026Feb18-Melandri.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.flickr.com/photos/fabriziomelandri/
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260221.html
   6. https://in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=20260218_16_100
   7. https://science.nasa.gov/mercury/
   8. https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/earthshine-83782/
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2602/VideoMercuryoccultation2026Feb18-Melandri.mp4
  10. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/whats-up-february-2026-skywatching-tips-from-nasa/
  11. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/moon/march-2026-total-lunar-eclipse-your-questions-answered/
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260301.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260227.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  17. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  19. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  22. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260228
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260301.html
  24. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  25. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  27. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  29. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  30. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  32. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  35. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  36. http://www.mtu.edu/