Skygazers await Transit of Mercury
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On Nov 11, the innermost planet in our solar system will be visible as a tiny black dot moving across the face of the sun, a rare astronomical event that will not be seen again until 2032
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End: 18:04GMT
Greatest: 15:20GMT
Start: 12:35GMT
TRANSIT
Length of transit: 5hrs, 29min
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Orbital planes align each May and November but as planets travel at different speeds, transit occurs only around 12 times per century

In November, Mercury reaches perihelion – point closest to sun – where its faster orbital motion makes alignment most likely

Plane of Earth’s orbit

7 ̊

Plane of Mercury’s orbit
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PLANET MERCURY

Closest planet to Sun Diameter: 4,800km
Mercurian year: 88 earth days Equator surface temp: 450C

Size of Mercury compared to continental U.S.

4,880km     4,313km

Binoculars or telescope with specialised solar filters required
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Transit at sunrise

Full transit visible

Transit at sunset

No transit visible

Do not look directly at sun with naked eye!

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Picture: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington Source: NASA © GRAPHIC NEWS