CHANGE OF VENUE: Physics Faculty to Host Solar Viewing Event
Monday, May 9
7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
NEW LOCATION: Norwich "U" near Captain Partridge Statue
Due to expected intermittent cloud cover today, the solar viewing event has moved to Tompkins Hall, next to Kreitzberg Library on the Norwich campus. While the Sun is out, you can find the viewing group in the “U” near the statue of Captain Partridge. In the case of cloud cover, the group will move inside to U-176, where physics faculty are broadcasting the transit of Mercury on a large screen. All are welcome.
If you can’t make it over there today, you can see the transit broadcast live at livestream.com/skyandtelescope/mercury.
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Fleet-Footed Mercury Flies in Front of the Sun
Physics Faculty to Host Solar Viewing Event
Monday, May 9
7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Norwich Crescent (Between Crescent Avenue and Main Street)
On Monday, May 9, Mercury will pass between Earth and the Sun in what NASA calls a “rare astronomical event known as a planetary transit.” Starting at roughly 7:12 a.m. eastern time, Mercury will appear as a tiny black dot traveling across the Sun in an event that occurs only 13 times in every hundred years. From where we stand, the Sun’s closest planet won’t seem to move so fast. But from 7:12 to just after 2 p.m., Mercury will have traveled more than 665,000 miles in its orbit around the Sun at a speed of nearly 25 miles per second.
But how can we see the transit of Mercury? According to NASA, “Mercury is too small to see without magnification, but it can be seen with a telescope or binoculars. These must be outfitted with a solar filter as you can't safely look at the Sun directly.” Important: never look directly at the Sun, and never attempt to look at the Sun through a telescope or binoculars without a properly installed solar filter.
To witness the transit of Mercury under the guidance of experienced scientists, come to the Crescent on the morning of May 9. Norwich physics faculty will be on-hand with the proper equipment to help you safely view this amazing solar event. They’ll also eagerly share their knowledge with anyone who wishes to learn. The event is open to Norwich students, faculty, and staff, and the greater community.