Aristachus Campaign Number 6 Transit of Mercury 9 May QUICK GUIDE In partnership with :

What is a transit? A planetary transit is the astronomical phenomenon where the disk of an inner planet passes in front of the disk of the Sun Credit: NASA/ESA/SOHO

What time the transit will be visible? Times and conditions are computed for New York City. Observation times differ by just a few seconds for other places in the world. For viewing times in your area:

Where can I observe the transit? You can see this event everywhere in the world as long as the Sun is above the horizon (i.e. day time). In some places the entire event will be visible, but in others only some portions of the transit can be viewed. Crédito: F. Espenak Credit:

What will I need? A camera with a zoom lens (telephoto) or a telescope to get magnified images of the Sun A cellphone able to provide your geographic position (GPS) VERY IMPORTANT: Solar filter for your telescope!!

What will I need? Today you can buy relatively cheap adapters to take pictures with your cellphone using small telescopes or even binoculars

WARNING!! You will need a solar filter to reduce the brightness of the Sun The sun’s rays are very powerful and can cause damage to your eyes and your electronic equipment!!

WARNING!! You can find solar filters for your telescope through online stores. Make sure that you purchase one that fits your telescope properly. No! Yes! For more information about how to view the sun safely, please refer to the following web pages: /SEhelp/safety2.html

How do I prepare? Get your geographic position: Latitude Longitude Height above sea level Take a picture with of a computer screen showing the official time.

Take several pictures of the transit separated by tens of minutes (30 min, 45 min, 90 minutes). We need at least 3 pictures per observer. When Should I Take the Pictures? Credit: Mila Zinkova y Pasachoff et al.

The pictures can have different orientations and camera settings. We just need that your pictures be taken at the same place Measurement Credit: Mila Zinkova y Pasachoff et al.

If your pictures are greatly magnified be sure that in all of them we can see the border of the solar disk What Should I Take a Picture Of? Credit: Sid Leach

What’s next? Send us your information and data by , through a cloud share service or at the AWB website: Do not modify pictures at all!! Send us your pictures as they come directly from the camera. You do not need to share them with us on Facebook

What will you do with my pictures? With the submitted images, professional astronomers, other amateurs and even you, will calculate the properties of the Mercury’s orbit, one of the most excentric in the Solar System, just as classical astronomers once did!

Where can I get more information? Si tenemos suerte podremos medir el achatamiento de la Tierra y saber exactamente como se vió el eclipse si hubieramos estado parados en la Luna Complete Guide to the Aristarchus Campaign #6 Other Aristarchus Campaigns: If you have questions please write to: