It’s the smallest planet in our Solar System, but also the fastest, with an orbit of just 88 Earth days. And while 48 million miles separates us from Mercury, on Monday, for the first time in 10 years, anyone on Earth (apart from the unlucky ones in Australia and New Zealand) could see the planet transit across the Sun.
The rare cosmic event has captivated many, including photographers who looked for ways to capture the tiny black spot as it made its way across the Sun.
Joel Kowsky of NASA was one of them. He captured this haunting photograph of the planet from the space agency’s Washington headquarters.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The Case for Mediocrity
- How Russia Is Recruiting Cubans to Fight in Ukraine
- Paul Hollywood Answers All of Your Questions About The Great British Baking Show
- Meet the 2023 TIME100 Next: the Emerging Leaders Shaping the World
- Oprah and Arthur C. Brooks: How to Separate Work From Your Identity
- How Canada and India's Relationship Crumbled
- You Don’t Have to Like Wrestling to Love Netflix’s Excellent Wrestlers
- The Most Anticipated Books, Movies, TV, and Music of Fall 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time