Field Notes
by Peter B Brace

MERCURY EXPOSED An infrequent astronomical sight - tiny Mercury inching across the surface of the sun - takes place this afternoon.

But you will need the right kind of telescope to see it.

Mercury is so tiny - 1/194th the size of the sun - and looking at the sun is so dangerous to the eyes that viewing must be done with a properly outfitted telescope or online telescope cameras, experts say.

Still, for many people, it may be the only chance to see the closest planet to the sun. Several Web sites, including those from mountain peaks in Hawaii, will be showing Mercury's trek online.

Mercury will travel between the sun and Earth in a way that makes it appear to cross - in astronomy the word is "transit" - the bottom third of the sun from left to right.

Mercury's five-hour trek starts at 2:12 p.m. The last "transit of Mercury," as it's called, was in 2003. These events occur about 13 times a century, with the next one happening in 2016, according to NASA.

Join others today at the Maria Mitchell Association's Loines Observatory, 59 Milk St. Ext. from 12- 3 p.m. to view this event. Maria Mitchell's Astronomy Director Vladimir Strelnitski said he plans to project the sun on a screen to show the Transit of Mercury, weather permitting. If clouds cover the sun, Strelnitski will give a lecture on the transit at Maria Mitchell's Hinchman House at 7 Milk St. at 12 p.m. Call 228-9198 for details.

On the Net: Time zone listings for Mercury transit:

http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclips e/OH/LC/Tran06LC2.html

The path Mercury will take across the sun:

http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclips e/OH/tran/TM2006sun.GIF

NASA on the transit:

http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclips e/OH/transit06.html

Transit of Mercury from a Hawaiian summit:

http://astroday.net/Merctransit06.ht ml

ROUNDABOUT FEVER Transportation Planner Michael

Burns expects the Victor-Brandon Corporation, the contractor building Nantucket's first roundabout, to begin laying down binder, a first coating of asphalt during the third week of November.

Currently, the paving mixture is being tested for its specific application at the new intersection of Hooper Farm Road, Sparks Avenue and Pleasant Street before it can be applied.

Burns added work crews put in utility poles last week and finalized

drainage improvements that need to

be made. This aspect of the project coupled with the inclement weather of late has set the project back by a week or so, said Burns.

Victor-Brandon will complete the project, including the paving of the topcoat of asphalt when the temperature warms to a consistent 40 degrees or warmer in the spring, and landscaping in and around the roundabout.

SELECTMEN-READY HARBOR PLAN Catch a presentation of the latest version of the harbor plan for Nantucket, Polpis and Madaket harbors at tonight's Board of Selectmen's meeting at 6 p.m. in the courtroom on the second floor of the Town & County Building at 16 Broad St.

ASPHALT OVER WATER The paving of Centre Street from the Jared Coffin House to Chester Street, and from there out Cliff Road to just past Crooked Lane should be completed sometime this week. The work began on Oct. 25 and would

have been done sooner, but the asphalt plant ran out of gravel and re-supply by barge was delayed by the high winds last week.

The paving by CC Construction of South Dennis, Mass. is the final phase of replacing eight-inch water mains in Centre Street and Cliff Road that were originally installed in 1878. The new 12-inch mains were installed during March and April this year. Two pipe failures 10 to 12 feet in length along with the fact that the width and strength of the old pipes were not enough to handle the amount of demand placed on them caused Wannacomet to replace them.

Wannacomet Water Company Manager Bob Gardner said their replacement had been planned for the last two to three years. Wannacomet's decision, said Gardner, to the pave the entire width of the road, curb to curb instead of just the trenches dug for the water mains also set the paving schedule back a ways.

BEACH CLEAN UP CANCELLED Because of the driving rain and wind gusting close to 50 miles per hour on Oct. 28, the Trustees of Reservations cancelled its beach cleanup of Great Point scheduled for 9 a.m. to 12 noon that day. Trustees Property Manager Steve Nicolle said he plans to hold a make-up day for the organized beachcombing effort sometime this fall, but he has yet to pick a date. Call Nicolle at 228-5646 to keep tabs on when he plans to reschedule and read Field Notes each week for updates.

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