Experts say you can damage your eyes if you look directly at the sun. But there are some safe ways to see this rare event on Monday.
It's a very tiny planet, but Mercury will be making a big move across a giant celestial body -- the sun -- on Monday.
New Jerseyans and other sky watchers on the East Coast will be able to see a tiny speck moving slowly across the sun from 7:12 a.m. to 2:42 p.m., according to NationalGeographic.com.
On Monday, May 9, our solar system's smallest planet will resemble a black dot as it passes in front of the sun. This composite image of observations by NASA and the ESA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory shows the path of Mercury during its November 2006 transit. (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/NASA via AP) One important note for anyone who hopes to see this: Experts warn you can seriously damage your eyes if you look directly at the sun. But there are some safe ways to view this rare celestial event -- something that happens about once every nine years.
LIVE VIDEO COVERAGE
At least three websites are planning to live-stream this event, so you can watch it from the safety of your computer or smartphone:
ASTRONOMY CLUB VIEWING
If you would rather watch this outside and you don't want to run the risk of hurting your eyes, check out some of the free public viewing events being organized by planetariums and astronomy groups that have the proper equipment.
Among the places in New Jersey where filtered telescopes will be set up on Monday are the Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, Ocean County College in Toms River and Washington Crossing State Park in Titusville, according to a report by Star-Ledger astronomy columnist Kevin Conod, manager of the Newark Museum's Dreyfuss Planetarium.
BACKYARD VIEWING
National Geographic advises people who plan to use watch from their own backyard to use a telescope with a solar filter attached, or binoculars with white cardboard "to create a magnified projection of the event."
For more details on how to safely view the sun, check these tips from Sky & Telescope.
Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality. Find NJ.com on Facebook.