Mercury reaches its greatest elongation, 26 degrees east of the sun on July 4. From latitude 40 degrees north, the +0.6-magnitude planet is low in the west-northwest and sets during twilight about 1.5 hours after sunset, and only an hour after the sun on July 12 when the planet will be of magnitude +1.2.

To get a glimpse of the “Swift Planet,” EarthSky suggests waiting for the sun to set before looking west for the planet during twilight time. Nearly a week after Fourth of July fireworks illuminate the sky, the so-called Buck Moon will rise on July 10.