On May 9, Mercury, smallest planet of the solar system, will pass directly between the Earth and the Sun, a rare transit that occurs only fourteen times in a century.
Although the next transit will occur in November 2019, it will be visible from India in 2032.
Where will the transit be visible?
The transit will be visible in most parts of the world including Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America and Antarctica.
Where to see the transit in India?
According to the Astronomical Society of India, the phenomenon will be visible in Srinagar at 19:20 (IST); Imphal at 17:48 (IST); Nagpur at 18:42 (IST); Bhuj at 19:23 (IST) and in Madurai at 18:30 (IST).
How to watch the transit?
Mercury will appear as a tiny dot on the sun moving from East to West, hence the sky-watchers will need a magnifying lens to view the occurrence.
Good quality “eclipse goggles”, small telescopes and commercially available solar filters can be used to witness the phenomenon.