12 Nov 2019

Astronomers stay up all night for Mercury transit

From Morning Report, 8:56 am on 12 November 2019

Almost exactly 250 years ago to the day that an astronomer on Captain Cook's first voyage to Aotearoa observed Mercury passing the sun, the rare celestial event has taken place again.

Keen astronomers spent the night star gazing at Mercury Bay in the Coromandel until dawn when the tiny disk of Mercury crossed the sun.

Dr Ian Griffin is an astronomer and the Otago Museum director.