Mercury Passes Across the Face of the Sun. It is a rare event that will only happen 14 times this century. As seen from Earth, the planet Mercury will pass in front of the face of the Sun. This happens when Mercury, the Earth and the Sun are lined up precisely in three dimensions. Mercury's orbit around the Sun takes 88 days. The next such transit will not occur until 2032. People living in South America, parts of North America and West Africa, Central America, the Caribbean and small portion of Greenland will be able to view the entire event. The smallest and innermost planet in the solar system will appear as a black dot, silhouetted against the Sun. Astronomers recommend following safety advice, as looking directly into the Sun can cause permanent eyesight damage
