These circumstances are well calculated to lead observers to abandon this object as one too unpromising for further study; but I think the view is partly induced by a misconception. The planet’s diminutive size is a hindrance which cannot be overcome; but the bad definition, resulting from low altitude, may be obviated by those who will select more suitable times for their observations and not be dismayed if their initiatory efforts prove futile. As a naked-eye object, Mercury must necessarily be looked for when near the horizon; but there is no such need in regard to telescopic observation, which ought to be only attempted when the planet surmounts the dense lower vapours and is placed at a sufficient elevation to give the instrument a fair chance of producing a steady image. The presence of sunshine need not seriously impair the definition or make the disk too faint for detail.
I have occasionally seen Mercury, about two or three hours after his rising, with outlines of extreme sharpness and quite comparable with the excellent views obtained of Venus at the time of sunrise or sunset. Those who possess equatoreals should pick up the planet in the afternoon and follow him until after sunset, when the horizontal vapours will interfere. Others who work with ordinary alt-azimuth stands will find it best to examine the planet at his western elongations during the last half of the year, when he may be found soon after rising by the naked eye or with an opera-glass, and retained in the telescope for several hours after sunrise if necessary. He may sometimes also be brought into the field before sunset (at the eastern elongations in the spring months), by careful sweeping with a comet-eyepiece, especially when either the Moon, Venus, or Jupiter happens to be near, and the observer has found the relative place of the planet from an ephemeris.
_Schiaparelli’s Results._—Mercury was displayed under several advantages in the morning twilight of November 1882, and I made a series of observations with a 10-inch reflector, power 212. Several dark markings were perceived, and a conspicuous white spot. The general appearance of the disk was similar to that of Mars, and I forwarded a summary of my results to Prof. Schiaparelli, of Milan, who favoured me with the following interesting reply:—