Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Mercury's small disk is silhouetted against the bright background of X-rays from the hot Solar Corona . It appears just to the right of center in the top frame and moves further right as the sequence progresses toward the bottom. The dark notch is a coronal hole near the Solar South Pole , while a flaring coronal bright point can be seen to the left of the notch in the top frames. The next transit of Mercury will occur on November 15.
Specific rights apply .