What makes Mercury the most challenging of the naked-eye planets to spot?
Answer
Its orbit keeps it very close to the Sun.
Mercury is the most difficult to observe because its orbital path ensures it remains very close to the Sun, limiting its visibility to short periods low on the horizon around sunset or sunrise.
Related Questions
What celestial body is almost always the single brightest "star" seen low in the eastern sky before sunrise?What physical characteristic is responsible for Venus's high luminosity?What distinguishes the steady glow of a planet from the twinkling of a star when observed?Why is Venus's visibility transient, limited to hours before sunrise or after sunset?Besides the Moon and Venus, what planet is generally considered the third brightest natural object visible in the night sky?What feature is Mars famous for?What makes Mercury the most challenging of the naked-eye planets to spot?What phenomenon causes a bright planet viewed very low in the east to appear to twinkle or shimmer more noticeably?Which title does Venus take when it appears in the western sky after sunset?How can Venus temporarily vanish from visibility in the morning sky over time?