DON'T LOOK

November 7, 2006 6:17 AM

Transit of Mercury again. hereTransit of Mercury again. Today -- and not for another seven years or so -- Mercury passes between the Earth and the Sun, shwoing up a speck-like black circle. But don't look. Starting times, real-time visual, ways to see it and another caution are here. rotoman
posted by rotoman (40 comments total)

Thanks. Unfortunately it's foggy and overcast here. sourwookie
posted by sourwookie at 6:20 AM on November 7, 2006

I'm looking forward to checking this out. koeselitz
posted by koeselitz at 6:46 AM on November 7, 2006

Ooops, I looked. For those of you without smoked glass or sun filters, here's what it looks like:


( . )

brownpau
posted by brownpau at 6:46 AM on November 7, 2006

Mercury, Earth. Balisong.
posted by Balisong at 6:50 AM on November 7, 2006

Awkward pause.
posted by AwkwardPause at 6:51 AM on November 7, 2006

For those of you without smoked glass or sun filters, here's what it looks like:
What in the hell? Did you tag the sun with your username?
posted by loquacious at 6:58 AM on November 7, 2006

Poorly edited FPP again. here Edited poorly FPP again. Today -- and everyday -- barely coherent FPPs passes between the Metafilter and reader, shwoing up a speck-like black circle. But don't look. Starting times, real-time visual, ways to see it and another caution are here.
posted by three blind mice at 7:00 AM on November 7, 2006

Nice post. squidfartz
posted by squidfartz at 7:02 AM on November 7, 2006

Seven years? I hope I live to see it again. NationalKato
posted by NationalKato at 7:17 AM on November 7, 2006

im in ur solar system alignin ur planets. Stynxno
posted by Stynxno at 7:19 AM on November 7, 2006

Not to diminish Planet Number One, especially given the recent thrashing of the Planet Formerly Known as Nine, but the event is not one I will be taking time off of work for.

Now a good meteor shower...I'll drive fifty miles out of the city to see one of those again.
posted by kozad at 7:26 AM on November 7, 2006

You can also do see this without a filter by making a pihole in a box and projecting the light rthough it onto a piece of paper. They Call Me Pastabagel
posted by Pastabagel at 7:27 AM on November 7, 2006

Great. Now I've sustained painful, permanent eye damage. Thanks Mercury. icosahedral
posted by icosahedral at 7:29 AM on November 7, 2006

sup wit da usernames today?
posted by winks007 at 7:31 AM on November 7, 2006

sup wit da usernames today?

rotoman started it. eirixon
posted by Eirixon at 7:34 AM on November 7, 2006

I was hoping I could take a photograph of it, but it seems that you need a telescope as well. Oh well. found dog one eye
posted by found dog one eye at 7:35 AM on November 7, 2006

im in ur solar system alignin ur planets.

AAAAAAAA+++++++ EXCLLENT CELESTIAL EVENT. WOULD TRANSIT SUN AGAIN. GuyZero
posted by GuyZero at 7:37 AM on November 7, 2006 [1 favorite]

Tomorrow, this post will be correct.
posted by uosuaq at 7:37 AM on November 7, 2006

I was just going to say that uosuag. The transit is Wednesday, November 8.
posted by AstroGuy at 7:41 AM on November 7, 2006

But, mama, that's where the fun is!
posted by kimota at 7:58 AM on November 7, 2006

I can't see anything. blind.wombat
posted by blind.wombat at 8:04 AM on November 7, 2006

rxrfrx rxrfrx
posted by rxrfrx at 8:09 AM on November 7, 2006

Of course it is not hazing a noob - rotoman has been here nearly 2 years. cranberry
posted by Cranberry at 8:27 AM on November 7, 2006

OK.OK. To critics of my post, it was my first one and I'm getting the hang of it. ALSO, the transit is Wednesday and I hope it's sunny everywhere.
posted by rotoman at 8:28 AM on November 7, 2006

And if a buzzard had a jukebox up its ass there'd be music in the air. hal9k's grandmother.
posted by hal9k at 8:49 AM on November 7, 2006 [2 favorites]

Well I wish I'd read the whole post before I burned out my frickin eyeballs, for keeps yo.

hermitosis
posted by hermitosis at 9:17 AM on November 7, 2006

kozad
posted by kozad at 9:37 AM on November 7, 2006

It's actually Wednesday? I was just thinking that as far as mystical omens go, it probably didn't bode well for the elections today. jokeefe
posted by jokeefe at 9:50 AM on November 7, 2006

Oh, and welcome to posting on Mefi, rotoman <----- genuinely meant, no sarcasm
posted by jokeefe at 9:52 AM on November 7, 2006

I can't believe no one has done this yet. todd lokken
posted by Freon at 10:18 AM on November 7, 2006

I hollered, "DON'T LOOK, ETHEL!!!" But it was too late. She'd already been mooned. evilcolonel
posted by evilcolonel at 10:26 AM on November 7, 2006

Auspicious. Good thing it doesn't actually fall on Election Day. Any astrology types hanging around to suggest what the Transit of Mercury means? Stuff like that is interesting.
posted by ScotchLynx at 11:13 AM on November 7, 2006

The transit is Wednesday, November 8

Dang, now you tell me. Warning: Do not stare into giant ball of fire with remaining eye.
posted by Snowflake at 11:14 AM on November 7, 2006

Haha evilcolonel I haven't heard The Streak for ages. That gave me a much needed laugh today. Democritus
posted by Democritus at 11:26 AM on November 7, 2006

I've hijacked this account. miguel cardoso
posted by sourwookie at 11:37 AM on November 7, 2006

I hijacked this account and the Mercury Transit. Tyler Durdan
posted by Marla Singer at 12:02 PM on November 7, 2006

.

Sparx
posted by Sparx at 1:03 PM on November 7, 2006

Too bad it's happening at night time EST. knave
posted by knave at 2:33 PM on November 7, 2006

MERCURY IS AN EVIL, EVIL PLANET.

JUST LOOK AT WHAT IT DID

TO POOR OLD ISSAC NEWTON.
posted by Smart Dalek at 3:00 PM on November 7, 2006

You'll need a telescope and a solar filter to see the transit first-hand. The only kind of safe solar filters are those that go in front of the telescope lens or primary mirror; eyepiece solar viewing filters are unspeakably dangerous and should be destroyed. Not just left unused, but destroyed, in case they should fall into the hands of someone who doesn't know not to use it.

Do-it-yourselfers can make good filters out of Baader Astrosolar film, but most commercial filters are fine as well. If you make your own filter, remember that if it comes off or breaks while you're using it, your retina is going to do a magnifying glass/ant impression. So, you know, be careful.
posted by Mitrovarr at 4:56 PM on November 7, 2006