Doha: Mercury, the smallest planet in the solar system, will reach its closest point in its orbit around the sun (perihelion) during the early morning hours of next Thursday, April 14, 2022, at 1:48 am. Doha local time, according to the Qatari Calendar House.

According to the Astronomy Expert at the Qatari Calendar House, Dr Bashir Marzouq that the citizens of Qatar can observe the planet mercury in the evening of next Thursday on the western horizon of the sky of Qatar using astronomical devices after sunset at 5:56 pm as per the Doha local time till 6:52, in areas away from light and environmental pollutions.

According to astronomical studies, the significant difference in distance between Mercury’s location and the sun when it reaches the apogee and perihelion points causes the surface of Mercury to gain twice the amount of solar energy when it is closest to the sun (perihelion) compared to the amount of solar energy it gains when it is farthest from the sun (apogee) (aphelion point).

Dr Marzouq pointed out that Mercury is at the peak point in its orbit near the sun once every 88 days (which is the period during which Mercury completes a full round around the sun), as it arrived at the closest point on Sunday, January 16, 2022, while it will reach it again Monday, July 11, 2022.

It is known that Mercury is one of the rocky planets in the solar system; at the same time, it is the addition to being the closest planet to the sun, with an estimated distance of 58 million km from it. No natural satellites are orbiting Mercury, and it does not have an atmosphere that protects it from solar storms and eruptions like the planet Earth.