Transit of Mercury: How to see the planet pass in front of the sun

The solar system's smallest planet will resemble a round black dot as it passes between the Earth and the sun

Astronomers are in for a treat on Monday, as Mercury makes a rare transit across the face of the sun.

The solar system's smallest planet will resemble a round black dot as it passes between the Earth and the sun.

In London, the spectacle will begin around 12.12am and continue until 7.42pm, according to the Royal Astronomical Society.

NASA and the ESA will run a livestream of the transit on their websites, with NASA promising near real-time images from its Solar Dynamic Observatory.

Those wishing to watch the transit themselves will need a special telescope with a solar filter, as looking directly at the transit can cause permanent eye damage.

It is also possible to project an image of Mercury on to a white surface using a telescope or binoculars.

Many amateur astronomical societies and public observatories across the UK will be running events for members to view the transit.

The last time Mercury crossed between the Earth and sun was on 7 May, 2006, and it won't happen again until 11 November, 2019.

While the planet may appear as though it's hardly moving, in reality it will be hurtling past the sun at nearly 106,000 mph.

NASA says the event occurs only about 13 times a century.

It will allow scientists to fine-tune instruments aboard solar observatories, like the Solar Dynamic Observatory, and learn even more about the sun.

Louis Mayo, program manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, considers it "a big deal."

"Astronomers get excited when any two things come close to each other in the heavens," Mayo said in a statement.

Additional reporting by AP