NASA will provide full coverage of Mercury Transit of the Sun on May 9, Sunday

NASA has invited media and also the viewers from around the world to see a rare celestial event called the Mercury Transit of the Sun, which is set to take place on May 9, Sunday. For media, the venue for viewing the event NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. A Rare Mercury Transit will take place on May 9, 2016, Sunday when Mercury, the smallest planet in our solar system, will pass directly in front of the Sun. This event has not occurred since 2006 and you will not get to see it again until 2019. Notably, the next event that will take place in November 2019, will not be visible from India. In India, it will next be visible in 2032 after this year. When one astronomical body moves across the face of another a transit occurs and is seen from the Earth or from a spacecraft.

“The phenomenon is a relatively rare one which occurs 13 or 14 times in a century. It occurs in May and November. The interval between one November transit and next November transit may be 7, 13 or 33 years whereas the interval between one May transit and the next May transit may be 13 or 33 years,” a statement by the Ministry of Earth Sciences said.

Where will the Mercury transit be seen?

The rare Mercury transit will be visible in kost parts of the world including Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, Antarctica. It will be seen either partially or in full. However, in Japan and other parts of eastern Asia, it will not be visible.

When will the rare Mercury transit be visible?

As per the Astronomical Society of India (ASI), the rare Mercury transit will begin at around 4:30 PM and will be seen all over India. The first contact will take place at 16:32 IST. Mercury appears moves roughly from East to West on the solar disc. Indian observers say Mercury will move from the ‘top’ towards the ‘bottom’ of the Sun while moving towards the western horizon.

Mercury will be at a quarter of its path in front of the Sun at around 18:30 IST. The central point will take place at 20:27 IST, ASI explains in its official website, adding, the best time to witness the rare transit is after an hour into the event.

“In Delhi, the event can be seen for a duration of about 2 hours 20 minutes as it will start at 4.41 PM and sunset will take place at 7.01 PM. Similarly, in Kolkata the event will start at 4.41 PM and it can be seen for a duration of about 1 hour 26 minutes."

“In Mumbai the event will start at 4.41 PM and it can be seen for a duration of about 2 hours 24 minutes, while in Chennai the event will start at 4.41 PM and it can be seen for a duration of about 1 hour 45 minutes,” the statement said.

How to watch the rare Mercury Transit?

A magnification tool - binocular or telescope will be required to watch the Mercury transit because it is so tiny that it will not be recognized easily. But, it is quite dangerous to see the Sun through lenses, binoculars, telescopes and bare eyes. This may even cause blindness or serious eye damage. Good quality eclipse goggles and pinhole camera can also be used to watch the Sun and Mercury.

“The Sun should never be viewed with the naked eye. Safe technique to observe is using filter like aluminised mylar, black polymer or welding glass of shade number 14,” the statement said.