2006 Mercury transit as imaged by Hinode (Solar-B)

The last Mercury transit across the Sun that took place in the night between 8 and 9 November 2006, and it was observed in great detail with the three telescope instruments on board the Hinode (Solar-B) satellite (a JAXA mission with ESA participation).

These images were taken by Hinode’s Solar Optical Telescope (SOT). Mercury is clearly visible as a dark disk with a diameter approximately 10 seconds of arc.