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Astronomy Picture of the Day -- 3D Mercury Transit
NASA ^ | Friday, May 20, 2016 | (see photo credit)

Posted on 05/20/2016 10:54:00 AM PDT by SunkenCiv

Explanation: On May 9, innermost planet Mercury crossed IN FRONT of the Sun. Though pictures project the event in only two dimensions, a remarkable three dimensional perspective on the transit is possible by free viewing this stereo pair. The images were made 23 minutes apart and rotated so that Mercury's position shifts horizontally between the two. As a result, Mercury's orbital motion produced an exaggerated parallax simulating binocular vision. Between the two exposures, the appropriately named planet's speedy 47.4 kilometer per second orbital velocity actually carried it over 65,000 kilometers. Taken first, the left image is intended for the right eye, so a cross-eyed view is needed to see Mercury's tiny silhouette suspended in the foreground. Try it. Merging the text below the images helps.

Friday, May 20, 2016

(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; astronomy; mercury; mercuryintransit; science
[Credit and Copyright: Stefan Seip (TWAN)]

1 posted on 05/20/2016 10:54:00 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
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To: brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; disndat; KoRn; Grammy; steelyourfaith; Mmogamer; dayglored; ...
The Big One

2 posted on 05/20/2016 10:54:53 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (I'll tell you what's wrong with society -- no one drinks from the skulls of their enemies anymore.)
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To: SunkenCiv
Can I sue NASA if my eyes get stuck?


3 posted on 05/20/2016 11:01:39 AM PDT by Telepathic Intruder (The only thing the Left has learned from the failures of socialism is not to call it that)
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To: Telepathic Intruder

“Pay to the order of Iron Balls McGinty...One dollar and nine cents.”


4 posted on 05/20/2016 11:02:20 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: SunkenCiv

sorry, this is really boring!


5 posted on 05/20/2016 11:13:17 AM PDT by MNDude (God is not a Republican, but Satan is certainly a Democrat.)
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To: SunkenCiv
Mercury crossed IN FRONT of the Sun.

I wonder what the BACK of the Sun looks like?

6 posted on 05/20/2016 11:24:17 AM PDT by rjsimmon (The Tree of Liberty Thirsts)
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