Close-up of the profile of Planet Mercury during the last Transit of Mercury event on 2006 November 8. NEVER look directly at the Sun, a solar eclipse, or a solar transit by a planet with a telescope, binoculars, or other optical device, unless you have the special training and special equipment to do so safely. Otherwise, this would cause PERMANENT BLINDNESS INSTANTLY !
(Image Sources: Wikipedia.org , By EricandHolli at the English language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6021555 )
By Glenn A. Walsh
Reporting for SpaceWatchtower
The Transit of the Planet Mercury across
the front of the Sun, a fairly rare event that will only happen 14
times this century, will occur this-Monday morning and early
afternoon (2016 May 9) and will be visible throughout North America, as well as most of the rest of the planet except Australia and east Asia.
Live web-casts of this event can be seen on the Internet, if there is
no safe observing event in your community, or you live in one of the areas experiencing nightfall. Links to the live,
Internet web-casts of this event are at the end of this blog post.
A solar transit of a planet is when the
profile of the planet can be seen (using safe viewing techniques)
in the daytime as it moves in front of, and across, the image of the
surface of the Sun. From Planet Earth, Mercury and Venus are the only
planets that can be seen transiting the Sun, as these are the only
two planets closer to the Sun than the Earth.
NEVER look directly at the Sun, a
solar eclipse, or a solar transit by a planet with a telescope,
binoculars, or other optical device, unless you have the
special training and special equipment to do so safely. Otherwise, this would cause PERMANENT BLINDNESS INSTANTLY !
NEVER look directly at the Sun or a
solar eclipse with your unaided eye. This could cause MAJOR EYE
DAMAGE and POSSIBLE BLINDNESS. Eye damage can occur rapidly, without
any pain, as there are no nerve cells in the eyes.
In
addition to safely viewing a solar transit of a planet on the
Internet, sometimes scientific and educational institutions sponsor a
live, safe observing opportunity of such an event for the general
public, utilizing professional equipment operated by trained
astronomers. Such a live, safe observing session for the public may
occur at a local planetarium, astronomical observatory, science
center or museum, the Astronomy and / or Physics Department at a
local college or university, amateur astronomers' club, or local
library.
A
Solar Transit by the Planet Mercury occurs from time-to-time, but is
fairly rare and difficult to see due to the small size of Mercury and
the planet's great distance from the Earth.
A
Solar Transit by the Planet Venus is extremely rare, as it only
happens twice, each spaced eight years apart, during a period of more
than a century! Indeed, only eight such events have occurred since
the 1609 invention of the astronomical telescope (1631, 1639, 1761,
1769, 1874, 1882, 2004, and 2012).
The
last two Solar Transits by Venus occurred on 2004 June 8 and 2012
June 5. In Pittsburgh, Friends of the Zeiss provided the only public
observing event of the 2004 Transit of Venus in the City of
Pittsburgh, in cooperation with The Duquesne Incline, using several
telescopes.
For
the 2012 event, Friends of the Zeiss also had telescopes available
for public viewing at the Mount Lebanon Public Library in south
suburban Pittsburgh. Regrettably, they were not able to use the
telescopes during the 2012 event, due to cloud cover. However, the
public still saw the event via a live, Internet web-cast shown in
Library Conference Room A.
In
the Pittsburgh area, live, safe public viewing of Monday's Transit of
Mercury event will be offered, free-of-charge, at the Mount Lebanon
Public Library, 16 Castle Shannon Boulevard, near Washington Road in
Pittsburgh's suburban South Hills.
A
live, Internet web-cast of the event will be shown in Conference Room
A on the Library's Lower Level. If outdoor observation conditions are
optimum, we may also try to observe the event using a 4-inch
refractor telescope.
The
Mount Lebanon Public Library is located at the southern end of Mount
Lebanon's “Uptown” Washington Road business district, about three
blocks south of the Port Authority Transit's Mount Lebanon “T”
Light Rail Rapid Transit Station. Free-of-charge automobile parking
is available at the Library.
On
May 9, the complete Transit of Mercury, from one side of the Sun to
the other, will take almost exactly seven and one-half hours.
Although the event actually begins at 7:12:19 a.m. Eastern Daylight
Saving Time (EDT) / 11:12:19 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC),
Library coverage of the event will commence upon the Library's
opening at 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC. Library coverage of the event
will continue until the event's conclusion at 2:42:26 p.m. EDT /
18:42:26 UTC.
This
free-of-charge event is co-sponsored by Friends of the Zeiss and the
Mount Lebanon Public Library.
If we
are able to use a telescope for viewing this event, we will project
the image of the Solar Transit by Mercury onto a portable movie screen,
for safe viewing. It is probable that while viewing Mercury crossing
in front of the Sun, sunspots (most of them larger than Mercury, and
some larger than Earth) will be visible on the Sun's surface.
Observing the Sun with a telescope, binoculars, or any other type of
optical device should only be attempted by people who have received
the proper training and possess the proper equipment to do so
safely.
Observing
the Transit of Mercury at the Mount Lebanon Public Library will be
supervised by former Buhl Planetarium Astronomical Observatory
Coordinator and Planetarium Lecturer Glenn A. Walsh.
For
further information about safely viewing the Transit of Mercury ---
Electronic
Mail: < mercurytransit@planetarium.cc
>
Telephone:
412-561-7876.
Friends
of the Zeiss is a fourteen-year-old, non-profit organization with the
mission to promote Astronomy, Space Sciences, and related sciences to
the general public through Internet web sites and a blog, as well as
public observing sessions of special astronomical events. This
organization also promotes the history and preservation of
Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular
Science, including the historic Zeiss II Planetarium Projector (prior
to 2002 dismantling, oldest
operable major planetarium projector in the world!)
and the fairly unique 10-inch Siderostat-type Refractor Telescope
(2016 is the 75th
anniversary of this telescope). More information ---
Telephone:
412-561-7876.
Transit of Mercury Internet Web-Casts ---
2016 May 9, 7:12:19 a.m. EDT / 11:12:19 UTC to 2:42:26 p.m. EDT / 18:42:26 UTC --
NASA: Link >>> http://mercurytransit.gsfc.nasa.gov/
Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles:
Link >>> http://livestream.com/GriffithObservatoryTV/MercuryTransit2016
Slooh Community Observatory: Link >>> http://main.slooh.com/event/transit-of-mercury/
Virtual Telescope Project: Link >>> http://www.virtualtelescope.eu/webtv/
2016 May 9, 7:12:19 a.m. EDT / 11:12:19 UTC to 2:42:26 p.m. EDT / 18:42:26 UTC --
NASA: Link >>> http://mercurytransit.gsfc.nasa.gov/
Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles:
Link >>> http://livestream.com/GriffithObservatoryTV/MercuryTransit2016
Slooh Community Observatory: Link >>> http://main.slooh.com/event/transit-of-mercury/
Virtual Telescope Project: Link >>> http://www.virtualtelescope.eu/webtv/
Additional Information
More on a Solar Transit by Mercury: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transit_of_Mercury
Publicity regarding 2016 Transit of Mercury event at Mt. Lebanon Public Library ---
Poster / Flyer:
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/transit-mercury/2016/Poster-MercuryTransit2016.htm
News Release:
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/transit-mercury/2016/NR-MercuryTransit2016.htm
"Astronomers Await 'Transit Of Mercury'."
The Pittsburgh Press 1940 Nov. 1: 5.
Pittsburgh's Buhl Planetarium to broadcast information program on upcoming Transit of Mercury on KQV radio. Buhl Planetarium Director Arthur L. Draper credited Pittsburgh's "No. 1" amateur astronomer, Leo Scanlon, with proposing the radio broadcast of the event.
Link >>> https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1144&dat=19401101&id=8Y4cAAAAIBAJ&sjid=i44EAAAAIBAJ&pg=3935,3135562&hl=en
Source:
Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of
the Zeiss.
2016
May 6.
May 9 - Safe Public Viewing of Rare Astronomical Event
2016: 75th Year of Pittsburgh's Buhl Planetarium Observatory
Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/01/astronomical-calendar-2016-january.html
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Send request to < spacewatchtower@planetarium.cc >..
gaw
Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/ >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SpaceWatchtower Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Also see: South Hills Backyard Astronomers Blog: < http://shbastronomers.blogspot.com/ >
Barnestormin: Writing, Essays, Pgh. News, & More: < http://www.barnestormin.blogspot.com/ >
About the SpaceWatchtower Editor / Author: < http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/ >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
< http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.
Twitter: < https://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
< http://www.planetarium.
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
< http://adlerplanetarium.
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
< http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
< http://www.andrewcarnegie.
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
< http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
< http://inclinedplane.tripod.
* Public Transit:
< http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.
May 9 - Safe Public Viewing of Rare Astronomical Event
2016: 75th Year of Pittsburgh's Buhl Planetarium Observatory
Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/01/astronomical-calendar-2016-january.html
Like This Post? - Please Share!
Want to receive SpaceWatchtower blog posts in your inbox ?
Send request to < spacewatchtower@planetarium.cc >..
gaw
Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/ >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SpaceWatchtower Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Also see: South Hills Backyard Astronomers Blog: < http://shbastronomers.blogspot.com/ >
Barnestormin: Writing, Essays, Pgh. News, & More: < http://www.barnestormin.blogspot.com/ >
About the SpaceWatchtower Editor / Author: < http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/ >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
< http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.
Twitter: < https://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
< http://www.planetarium.
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
< http://adlerplanetarium.
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
< http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
< http://www.andrewcarnegie.
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
< http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
< http://inclinedplane.tripod.
* Public Transit:
< http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.
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