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Catch Rare Glimpse Of Mercury, Thanks To Seminole State College

Photo from a 2006 Mercury Transit. Photo: NASA
Photo from a 2006 Mercury Transit. Photo: NASA

There’s a rare event happening in our solar system Monday, and residents of central Florida have the chance to observe it from here on Earth.

It’s called the Mercury Transit. That’s when Mercury crosses in front of the sun.

Celestial events like this only happen a dozen times a century and it’s not always visible during the day.

That’s why Seminole State College’s Planetarium Director Derek Demeter is hosting a viewing party at the college. Demeter says conditions are just right to catch a look at this transit.

"If you miss this one," says Demeter, "you’re going to have to wait another ten years to see another.”

Anyone can view the Mercury transit from Seminole State College’s main campus Monday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Brendan Byrne is Central Florida Public Media's Assistant News Director, managing the day-to-day operations of the newsroom, editing daily news stories, and managing the organization's internship program. Byrne also hosts Central Florida Public Media's weekly radio show and podcast "Are We There Yet?" which explores human space exploration, and the weekly news roundup podcast "The Wrap."