How to see it: Mercury to make rare trip between Earth and sun on Monday

The smallest planet in our solar system will make a rare trip between the Earth and sun on Monday, according to NASA.

On May 9, Earthlings with their eyes to the sky (and the proper equipment) will be able to watch Mercury cross in from of the sun. Mercury, which is little larger than Earth’s moon, passes between our planet and the sun about 13 times in a century, NASA said in a statement. The last pass-by was in 2006.

Because staring directly into the sun isn't great for your eyes, NASA says people will have to use a "telescope or high-powered binoculars fitted with solar filters made of specially-coated glass or Mylar," to safely view the event.

The planet will look like a very small black dot against the sun and will be visible shortly after 7 a.m. ET, according to NASA.

“The entire 7.5-hour path across the sun will be visible across the Eastern United States … while those in the West can observe the transit in progress after sunrise,” NASA said in a statement.

Those who don’t have the right equipment or can’t pull themselves away from their desks can view NASA's live-stream on Facebook from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. ET.

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