Ithaca College

The planet Mercury will be passing between the Earth and Sun in the morning of Monday May 9. To view this event, the Department of Physics and Astronomy will have solar-safe telescopes set out on the East Plaza of the Center for Natural Sciences from 9am to 11am. (That’s the side of the building facing the Sun in the morning.) Breakfast snacks will be available.

This event is called a transit of Mercury and has not happened since 2006. Mercury will appear as a silhouette on the bright disk of the Sun and move across the Sun’s face all morning. This is a dramatic illustration of the geometry of the solar system and of planetary movement. Historically transits were used to determine the size of the solar system. The picture is a composite of 22 images taken during the transit of Mercury in 2003. Join us to see this solar system dance before or after your exam or just to wake up! Monday May 9 – 9:00 to 11:00am – CNS Plaza

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact the Department Assistant at jackerman@ithaca.edu. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.