Mercury is on the move.

On Monday morning, Mercury will make a pass in front of the sun. Though the smallest planet will seem like a mere freckle compared to our yellow dwarf, it’s a rare celestial event. Miss it, and you’ll have to wait another 13 years.

What is the Mercury transit?

Of course, Mercury, along with the rest of the planets in our purview, all orbit around the Sun — so this sort of thing technically happens at least once per planet during every full orbital rotation, depending on your vantage point.

How rare is it?

The last time this happened was in 2016, but the next flyover won’t take place until 2032. It only comes around about 13 times every century, during the months of either May or November.

When is the Mercury transit?

The show begins at 7:35 a.m. (EST) Monday, and will last five and a half hours, ending at 1:04 p.m., according to NASA. But the dance between these two heavenly bodies will be so disproportionate that stargazers will need special tools, such as a telescope with a safety filter, to catch the tiny black dot as it traverses the giant glowing orb.

How can I see it and is it being live streamed?

Most of North America, especially on the East Coast, will have seats to the whole show, as well as the entirety of South America. Folks west of the Mississippi will have a somewhat truncated viewing — about three hours. Much of Asia and the whole of Australia will miss Mercury’s big move, as those regions will be well into their overnight hours.

It should go without saying, but don’t try looking into the sun to find Mercury’s mark. Unless you’re an avid astronomer with the right tools for sun-gazing — solar eclipse shades won’t cut it — NASA urges sky-watchers to tune-in to their live-streaming event. Beginning around 7 a.m. Monday, the space agency’s Solar Dynamics Observatory will begin its broadcast, from space, just as Mercury appears to make its way into the sun’s glowing corona rim.

For more information on how to watch safely and effectively, visit Space.com’s 2019 transit guide.

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