Periodic presentations and live online viewing on the big screens inside our facility on Monday, November 11, 8 AM to 1 PM – rain or shine. If the skies are clear, we will observe the transit with our own telescopes, using special solar filters!

Did you know that the planet Mercury will cross the sun’s disc on the morning of November 11?  And that Mercury hasn’t done that since 2016?  More importantly, are you aware that the next transit of Mercury visible from North America doesn’t happen until the year 2049?

Don’t miss it! Come to MSU St. Andrews in Midland on Veterans Day (anytime during the event timeline) to watch the transit and to learn more about it. The public is invited to this unusual daytime astronomy event.  Field trips are encouraged – please let us know if you are bringing a group – otherwise registration is not necessary.

This photo was taken during the 2016 transit with a point-n-shoot camera looking through the eyepiece of one of our telescopes! The blue arrow shows Mercury transiting the sun. Notice it is smaller than one of the sunspots.

Mercury will spend the morning moving across the face of the sun.  Viewing this event requires a telescope AND a special solar filter.  MSU St. Andrews has several large telescopes properly equipped for solar viewing.  We will also have a telescope set up to project the image of the sun onto a board for group viewing.  In addition, an informative and interactive presentation on transits, roughly 15 minutes duration, will be offered periodically, whenever guests would like.  We will also offer a live feed from professional observatories on large video screens for the duration of the transit.  So, even if it’s raining or snowing, come anyway!

DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN WITH BINOCULARS OR A TELESCOPE THAT DOES NOT HAVE A SPECIAL SOLAR FILTER!  PERMANENT BLINDNESS WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY RESULT!

Approximate timeline:

• 7:30 – 1 PM: live feed from professional observatory on a large video screen
• 7:30 – 1 PM: interactive presentation on Mercury and transits whenever guests desire
• 7:35 AM: Mercury begins to transit the face of the sun.  We will have live feed from professional observatories in the rotunda for the duration of the transit.  You can be here to see the first moment!  Since sunrise is 7:27 AM, the sun will be behind the trees and not yet visible with our own telescopes.
• 10 AM: at about this time, the sun will begin to rise above the trees, and we will be able to watch the eclipse with our own solar-filtered telescopes.
• 1:04 PM: Mercury leaves the sun’s face behind, and the transit is over.