When was the planet Mercury discoved?

Answer 1

The actual discovery date of Mercury, and the discoverer, are not known since the discovery predates the earliest known mention of it. The first known, recorded reference to Mercury is in the Babylonian MUL.APIN tablets, in which it is named the jumping planet. The earliest copy so far discovered was made in 686 BC, but the tablets are believed to have been compiled from observations made around 1370 BC.

Related Information:

Mercury is visible to the naked eye, if it is observed just after sunset or just before sunrise. The Babylonians were mapping and describing the heavens in the 7th Century BC. Since Mercury is visible to the unaided eye, it is unrealistic to believe that a jumping planet went unnoticed by these ancient observers.

Answer 2

The planet Mercury has been known since ancient times. The earliest known observations of Mercury were from Assyrian astronomers around the 14th century BCE.