Mercury passes between Earth and the Sun only about 13 times a century, with its last trek taking place in 2006. Due to its diminutive size, viewing this event safely requires a telescope or high-powered binoculars fitted with solar filters made of specially-coated glass or Mylar. Mercury will appear as a small black dot as it crosses the edge of the Sun and into view at 7:12 AM EDT. The planet will make a leisurely journey across the face of the Sun, reaching mid-point at approximately 10:47 AM EDT, and exiting the golden disk at 2:42 PM EDT. The entire 7.5 hour path across the Sun will be visible across the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, Africa, and most of Asia.