WASHINGTON - An infrequent astronomical sight — tiny Mercury inching across the surface of the sun — takes place Wednesday afternoon in North America. But you'll need the right kind of telescope to see it.
Mercury is so tiny — 1/194th the size of the sun — and looking at the sun is so dangerous to the eyes that viewing must be done with a properly outfitted telescope or online telescope cameras, experts say.
Still, for many people, it may be the only chance to see the closest planet to the sun, said Michelle Nichols, a master educator at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, one of many places that will hold special viewings of Mercury's trek. Mercury is usually seen in the early evening, but it's often obscured by buildings, city lights and trees, she said.
"You definitely need a telescope to spot this one, a properly filtered telescope," Nichols said. "You will see a small black dot against the face of a bright sun."
Several Web sites, including those from mountain peaks
2006-11-06
08:56:45
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