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MERCURY TRANSIT
Mercury transits occur when the planet Mercury passes in between the Sun and Earth allowing observers on Earth to
track Mercury's dark disk as it crosses the face of the Sun. This is an extremely rare event, occurring only four times
over the next 50 years. On the morning of November 11, 2019. Mercury will transit the face of the sun. For most of North
America, the event will already be underway as the sun rises, but you will still be able to view the transit for a few hours.
Be sure not to miss this event as the next transit of Mercury will not occur for another 13 years in 2032.
LIMB DARKENING
When viewing the Sun's disk, look for a falloff of brightness as you look from the center of the disk to the edge, or limb.
This is caused by the thick solar corona, or outer atmosphere of the Sun. As you look at the center of the solar disk, you
are looking straight down through the least amount of atmosphere. As you look near the limb, you are looking through a
thicker layer, which dims the amount of light shining through.
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