Abstract
MERCURY is one of the two planets which revolves round the sun in an orbit smaller than that of our earth, and consequently at a time of inferior conjunction generally passes just to the north or south of the sun. The reason why it does not always pass exactly between the sun and us is because its orbit is inclined at an angle of 7 degrees to the plane of the ecliptic, and the planet is only twice during a revolution at the cutting points or nodes, and is not necessarily at one of these points when passing on the near side of the sun.
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The Transit of Mercury on November 7, 1914. Nature 94, 257–258 (1914). https://doi.org/10.1038/094257b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/094257b0