Join the Whatcom Association of Celestial Observers and the Bellingham Public Library to view the May 9 Transit of Mercury. Local astronomers will be available with their telescopes on the north side of the Central Library, offering opportunities for people to view Mercury as it transits the Sun. The transit begins at dawn and ends just before noon on May 9. Being able to see the transit depends on there being no clouds covering the sun, so there is no guarantee it will be visible! But we'll plan to gather and serve coffee regardless of weather to anyone interested in learning more about the local astronomy club and these uncommon astronomic occurrences. Transits -- passages of planets across the face of the Sun -- are relatively rare. There are 13-14 transits of Mercury each century, though not all are visible from the Pacific Northwest. For more information about the 2016 Transit of Mercury, visit www.sloogh.com. For more information about Whatcom Association of Celestial Observers, visit www.whatcomastronomy.org .