Posted on 05/02/2016 11:43:18 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Although both Mercury and Venus circle between the Earth and the sun on every orbit (with Mercury passing between the two bodies three times each Earth year), the three planets don't sit in a flat orbit compared to one another. Only when Earth and a passing planet line up is the interior world visible to skywatchers as it crosses the sun.
Mercury's transits currently take place in either early May or November. It is during those months that Earth's orbital plane is intersected by Mercury's, according to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. However, the orientation of the two orbital planes can change over long periods of time. In the past 700 years, two-thirds of the transits have occurred in November. In the fall, the planet appears as only 1/194 the size of the sun. Mercury looks larger in the sky in May, appearing to be about 1/158 the size of the background star.
The small apparent size of Mercury in the sky means that, unlike Venus, its transit cannot be seen using pinhole projectors. Instead, the best way for amateurs to view the event may involve projecting the image of the sun using binoculars or a telescope.
WARNING: Do NOT attempt to observe the sun without appropriate eye protection. Looking directly at the sun can cause permanent eye damage or blindness.
(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...
My wife has a very embarrassing picture of me in a lawn chair wearing a speedo and holding a beer watching an eclipse with a welding helmet on.
How did you know it was you?
I’ve been questioned by cops when out stargazing. Once, just standing off a Westward looking street, staring at a Sunset, trying to catch a glimpse of Mercury with the Sun obscured by the horizon, and planet briefly visible above it.
“How did you know it was you?”
Nobody else looks that bad in a Speedo.
I read somewhere that the astronomer Copernicus never saw Mercury in his life. Never got a chance to ask Nick in person, but it's credible...probably too many cloudy nights where he lived in Poland.
Post it!
“Post it!”
Nah. You’d just fall in love and start stalking me.
I really just wanted to make a meme. :-)
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