The Oklahoma City Astronomy Club is partnering with Scissortail Park to host a public viewing of a rare transit of the planet Mercury across the face of the Sun. A viewing area will be set up at the Survivor Tree Lawn, located on the south end of the park near Union Station beginning at 6:30 a.m. The event will continue until noon.

“Mercury passes in front of the Sun approximately a dozen times each century, but the Nov. 11 event will be the last one visible from North America until 2049,” said Mike Brake, Astronomy Club member. “The transit will already be underway when the sun rises at 7:01 a.m., will reach midpoint by about 9:20 and ends moments after noon.”

Astronomy Club members will have telescopes with special solar filters on hand to allow safe viewing of the event. Brake cautions the public not to try to observe the sun at any time without such filters, to avoid possible permanent eye damage. Should weather force a cancellation, notice will be posted on the club website at http://www.okcastroclub.com/ as well as on the park website at https://scissortailpark.org/