Amateur astronomers want to help you see Mercury transit the sun in Charlotte
Charlotte amateur astronomers hope to see a rare event Monday as Mercury passes in front of the sun, a tiny dot inching across the giant orb.
It’s called a transit of Mercury and occurs only about 13 times a century, Sky and Telescope magazine reports. It won’t happen again until 2032.
The Charlotte Amateur Astronomers Club hopes to offer the public a view, assuming clouds don’t get in the way. As of Friday, the Monday forecast calls for a mix of sun and clouds.
Unless the sky is cloudy, the club will set up special telescopes to safely view the event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday at First Ward Park, 301 E. 7th St., in uptown Charlotte.