Mount Wilson Observatory (Photo – usdagov, flickr).
Space lovers, astronomy enthusiasts, here’s your chance to see Mercury as it travels across the face of the sun.
By News Desk
Located in the mountains above Pasadena, Mount Wilson Observatory will welcome visitors to see the Mercury Transit on the morning of Monday, May 9 2016.
The transit will be visible at sunrise at 5:56 a.m. and will continue until 11:40 a.m. Observatory gates will be open at 5:30 a.m., and guests will be welcomed into the observatory to observe Mercury and the sun with various solar telescopes including the observatory’s 150 Foot Solar Tower and the Snow Solar Telescope.
Come in hungry as the Cosmic Café will be open to sell food, drinks, as well as souvenirs. Tours will be offered to see inside the domes of the 60 inch and 100 inch telescopes, each the largest in the world at the beginning of the last century.
Transiting the sun
Monday morning is your chance to see this phenomena, as the last time Mercury transited the face of the sun was in 2006, and the next times Mercury transits will be visible from Los Angeles are in 2019 and 2049.
If you can’t see it live, you can always check this animation showing what the 2016 Mercury Transit will approximately look like from Pasadena.
Animation showing what the Transit will approximately look like from Pasadena (Photo – timeanddate.com).
Visibility
The month of May is often cloudy in the LA basin, but the good news is the observatory is “usually” above the clouds (see the current view at the tower cam page here).
Directions
Mount Wilson Observatory is located 19 miles from La Cañada Flintridge in the San Gabriel Mountains. Take Angeles Crest Highway (Hwy 2) east for 14 miles to Red Box/Mount Wilson Rd. and turn right. The Observatory is 5 miles up the road (click for detailed directions).
Day and time
05/09/2016
5:30 am – 12:00 pm
> A $10 donation at the gate is suggested for this event.
Source: Mt Wilson Observatory
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