Astronomers' Treat: Mercury Crosses Sun

[NVMojo]

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Mercury's brief trip Wednesday between Earth and the sun treated sky watchers to a celestial event most people get to see less than once a decade.

The minuscule planet appeared as a tiny dot passing from left to right across the face of the sun. The five-hour passing, called a transit, was viewable only with specially outfitted telescopes and online telescope cameras.

The crossing, which occurs about 13 times a century, last occurred in 2003 and will not happen again until 2016, according to NASA.

more...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/tech/2006/nov/08/110808185.html

[cspanlovr]

1. cool. thanks!

[NVMojo]

2. We think we saw it! Did you see it?

[Kiouni]

3. listen to your mother don't look at the sun!

but that is cool!

[cliss]

4. Cool!

Thanks for sharing.
:smoke:

[Wilms]

5. Here's an animation.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=228x24842

[Nostradammit]

6. Honest to God, I got vertigo just looking at that animation

I started to feel the earth going around the sun.


Cool...


(Isn't Mercury the God of War?)

[krispos42]

7. No, the Messenger of the Gods

Winged Feet, and all that. Mercury has the highest orbital velocity of the planets, that's why.

Mars is the God of War, named because of the distictive red color of the planet.

[Nostradammit]

8. Thanks!

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. So that's why Rummie resigned so abruptly

Just kidding.