This week mercury will be very bright above the western horizon in late
twilight. I observed it easily last night in binoculars and naked eye
and with a 12" telescope where it appeared near gibbous phase. As it
gets higher in the sky this week and then lower in the western sky in
following weeks it will go to half phase on into cresent phase and
appear to grow larger in the telescope as it catches up with earth on
its faster orbit around the sun. Also mars is catching up with Saturn
over the next few weeks as they are seen high in the southern sky after
twilight ends. Jupiter dominates the eastern morning sky.
Patick