Transit of Mercury 2006

The last transit of Mercury visible from Australia until 2032 will happen on the morning of Thursday 9 November 2006. A transit is when a planet, either Venus or Mercury, appears to move across the disk of the sun. Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, will appear as a black silouhette moving across the face of the sun.

It is always dangerous to look directly at the sun, especially through a telescope or binoculars, without proper filters.

Staff of the CSIRO Australia Telescope Compact Array at Narrabri will set up a specially equipped telescope so that locals will be able to safely view the transit. If you are elsewhere many observatories and similar organisations will have public viewing or webcast the transit.

The transit will begin at and continue through to .

More information about the transit and webcasts

Astronomy fact sheet on the Australian Astronomy website

Charles Sturt University remote telescope

Transit Information at the Exploratorium

Public Transit viewing in Narrabri

Where: Behind the Narrabri Cotton Centre on the Newell Highway near Leitch Oval.

When: Thursday 9 November 2006. We will have our telescope set up from 7:30am to 11:15am, AEDST.

What: Everyone is welcome to come down for a look from till shortly after . We will have our telescope with solar filter so that people can safely view the transit. We are also hoping to organise computer and internet access to view some of the webcasts.

Groups, including schools are welcome. If you are bringing a group please telephone the telescope on 6790 4070 at least a day before so we are expecting you.

Public
Public