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Observing the transit

The transit can been seen with a telescope fitted with a good solar filter or with a bincocular using the projection method.

Telescope and solar filter

Binocular and projection

Altough this method is extremly simple, good results can be achieved. Some sites will tell you can't see Mercury this way. Don't believe it. I tried it om 7 May 2003 with a 12x50 binocular. Mercury was only a faint dot but no mistake was possible.
Once again, don't look directly into the binoculars.
This is how it should be done.

Put the protective cover over one lens or tape it (we only want a single image) and fix it on a tripod. If you don't have a tripod you can tape it to a chair. Fix a piece of carton with 2 holes in it on the back or in front of the binoculars. We use this carton board to make some shade behind the binoculars so we get a better image.

Point the binoculars to the Sun and catch the light behind the binocular on a white sheet of paper. You should see a white disk, that's the Sun! Now move backward, a few meter if you can. The white disk will grow larger and larger!! Now fix your sheet of paper on a chair or whatever. Go back to the binoculars and focus it, the edges of the Sun's disk will become really sharp. Probably you will see some sunspots.

To be safe this should be tested a few day's before the transit around the same time, just to be sure you picked a good location and you know how to focus your image.
On the day of the transit you only need good weather. Look for a small black dot. There should be no confusion with sunspots. Mercury's shade is round with sharp edges, sunspots are irregular and hazy. After some time you will have to more your binoculars so it keeps pointing to the sun.
It's a good idee to draw the image of the sun on the carton board and indicate the position of Mercury. Repeat it after some time, you can plot the trajetory Mercury is taking across the Sun.

Tips

• Use a mirror right behind the binoculars to direct the image indoors into a room with just the door open. The image will be projected in the dark room, it will be big and clear.

• The best results are achieved by putting the binoculars in an open window and blocking as mush light as possible by lowering the blindings and closing the curtains.

  This image of the Sun is about 20 cm in diameter and has an amazing level of detail, sadly this is not visible on this image.