Mercury
transits the Sun on November 8. In a previous article, "Shadows
and Silhouettes," we offered information on the upcoming transit, and ideas
for getting involved. With less than a week remaining, there's still time to
prepare for a daytime astronomy event with a local amateur astronomy club or
set up your computer to log into a webcast of the transit. Mercury transits the
Sun 14 times this century. Next Wednesday, you can observe the second transit
of Mercury this century, come rain or shine, even if you're on the dark side of
the Earth.
BE
SAFE: Mercury is tiny in comparison to the Sun: about 1/195th the
apparent diameter of the Sun. You can't see Mercury without a telescope with
magnification of 50x to 100x. The requirements for observing the transit are
the same as for simply observing the Sun or photographing an eclipse. Solar
filters are required to assure safe viewing. In your search for Mercury, be
safe. Don't look directly at the Sun, and especially don't look at the Sun
through binoculars or telescopes. Permanent damage to your eyesight will result
if you do.
How
can you get connected? This article is a quick user's guide to observing the
Mercury transit next Wednesday.
For
in depth information, go to NASA web
pages at Goddard Space Flight Center. Dr. Fred Espenak manages this site on
eclipses and transits where you will find a good discussion and details on the
upcoming transit of Mercury, and a bibliography for those who wish to dive
deeper into the science and history of transits.
| Safe Viewing |
| Never look directly at the Sun with your naked eye or through a telescope or binoculars. Severe eye damage can result.
With proper viewing filters, the transit will be visible with small telescopes. Viewers should use special, approved filters that can be purchased from reputable dealers of astronomy products.
The Sun's image and the shadow of Mercury can also be projected through a telescope onto a white screen, sheet of paper or wall.
|
|
For
the serious amateur, there's ALPO, the Association of Lunar and Planetary
Observers. John Westfall is the section coordinator for the Mercury/Venus
Transit Section of ALPO. He's written a detailed article describing the
upcoming transit with a brief description of the best ways to observe the
transit. There are also instructions for how to submit your observations of the
transit.
For
educators in schools and science centers, there are good lessons on transits
and how astronomers will use transits to find extrasolar planets. The NASA Kepler
Discovery Mission will seek evidence of other Earths around distant stars by
observing transits. You'll find Kepler Mission classroom activities
on planet finding at the mission website. The Astronomical Society of the
Pacific's Educator Newsletter is a further resource. It includes good diagrams
and lessons to teach about Mercury and the transit. There's an extensive set of
links to other related sites. There's an English
language version and a Spanish
language version.
Amateur
astronomers will hold daytime star parties at many sites. You can connect with
them by locating your regional club. Many clubs belong to the Night Sky Network, a
nationwide community of amateurs who like to share astronomy with the public.
You can locate a club near you at the NSN website. Science centers,
observatories, planetaria, and astronomy clubs can also be located via Sky and Telescope's online
directory of clubs and community organizations and The Astronomical
League's national directory. Take a look at these resources if you wish to
observe the transit with a group in your community.
If you are
seeking a virtual experience, or if the clouds block the Sun in your community,
you can still see the transit via your computer. The NASA Digital
Learning Network offers information, a live webcast, and classroom lessons
for the Mercury transit. For a direct link to the webcast from Kitt Peak in
Arizona, connect to the Exploratorium
webcast of the transit. Go early, and download the tools you might need
from the site. The Exploratorium's Live@ crew will be at the Kitt Peak National
Observatory, and, with the Kitt Peak staff, will webcast the transit: a live
five-hour telescope-only feed beginning at 11:00 am Pacific Standard Time. The
transit will take place from 11:12 a.m. until 4:10 p.m. PST. It's a good idea
to log in early to either the NASA or the Exploratorium site, as last minute
arrivals are sometimes slow.
And,
what about that little planet? If you're just curious about Mercury, there is good information and
images here on the space.com site. NASA is sending a spacecraft to explore the
innermost planet called the Mercury
Messenger. Check out the plans!
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