The Transit Of Venus

[Weather-history]

The biggest astronomical event of the year occurs on the 5th/6th June 2012 when the Tranist of Venus occurs, the last realistic chance of any human being seeing this as the next occasion won't be until the 11th December 2117

In 2004, the UK was superbly placed to see this and we saw the whole event but this time we are only going to see the closing stages at sunrise on the morning of the 6th June.

http://astro.ukho.go...2012/index.html

The further north and east you are in the UK, the longer you will have chance to witness this very rare event.

Lets hope the dawn skies are clear on the 6th of June 2012 or wherever you are in world where this phenomenon is visible.

Will anyone be still alive in 2117 who can claim they have witnessed a Transit of Venus?

Edited May 1, 2012 by Mr_Data

[Stargazer]

Look forward to seeing it (hopefully!) - got a great view of the whole event in 2004.

[Polar Maritime]

Interesting thanks for posting Mr D, I will be looking forward to the event, as i missed the last one in 2004.

I dont think i will be around in 2117, but i live in hope...

[bobbydog]

i'm assuming its when venus crosses the sun but what will we see?

[Stargazer]

It'll look like a black spot crossing the sun slowly over a period of hours. Because the sun rises near the end of the transit this time we'll only get a brief view of it from the UK. If it's clear you should be able to see it using a solar viewer (e.g. eclipse glasses), or projected using a telescope (or even half of a pair of binoculars onto a piece of paper - see my attached picture, taken in just that way).

[Crepuscular Ray]

I'm not sure that eclipse glasses are a safe idea. Far better to project it with a pair of binoculars.

[Dorsetbred]

The biggest astronomical event of the year occurs on the 5th/6th June 2012 when the Tranist of Venus occurs, the last realistic chance of any human being seeing this as the next occasion won't be until the 11th December 2117

Will anyone be still alive in 2117 who can claim they have witnessed a Transit of Venus?

Yes, I will be. I've already paid my millions to be cryogenically frozen, so I'll change my hatching date to be the 10th December 2117, that'lll give me time to prepare for the 11th

[Polar Maritime]

During the transit of Venus across the Sun's face on June 5-6, 2011, the Hubble Space Telescope will be looking in the opposite direction — at the Moon. Hubble cannot look at the Sun directly, so astronomers are planning to use the Moon as a mirror to capture reflected sunlight and isolate the small fraction of the light that passes through Venus's atmosphere. Imprinted on that light are the fingerprints of the planet's atmospheric makeup. This is an experiment to see how well Venus's atmosphere can be studied spectroscopically, as a proxy for transit observations of extrasolar planets. http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2012/22/image/c/

[Weather-history]

Here's some food for thought.

Could it be possible that humans will see a transit of the Earth from Mars before we see the next transit of Venus from Earth (that's after the 2012 Venus transit)?

The next Earth transit from Martian soil will be on the 10th November 2084

[Polar Maritime]

A film about the transit of venus. Edited May 24, 2012 by Polar Maritime

[Polar Maritime]

10 days to go... http://www.sunaeon.com/venustransit/

[toggerob]

Hopefully this weather can stay like this for the next week or two to come as there's a few 1500ft+ hills near where I live where i'll be setting up the evening before. A simple DSLR camera with filter setup.

[Dorsetbred]

Here's some food for thought.

Could it be possible that humans will see a transit of the Earth from Mars before we see the next transit of Venus from Earth (that's after the 2012 Venus transit)?

The next Earth transit from Martian soil will be on the 10th November 2084

I certainly wont be around to this event, would you record it for me please, unless as I've previously stated cryogenic freezing is in place?

Edited May 26, 2012 by Dorsetbred

[Konstantinos]

Will it be visible with our eyes? Will we see a black spot in sun? Is it necessary to use eyeglasses? If so, can you suggest me a good and cheap brand of eyeglasses for this purpose? Do you have a good idea in your mind? Thank you.

[Crepuscular Ray]

Will it be visible with our eyes? Will we see a black spot in sun? Is it necessary to use eyeglasses? If so, can you suggest me a good and cheap brand of eyeglasses for this purpose? Do you have a good idea in your mind? Thank you.

No, it will not be visible by naked eye or eyeglasses looking directly at the Sun - the light from the Sun would completely swamp the tiny black dot that will be Venus. Looking at the transit directly or through eyeglasses would be just the same as looking at the Sun on any other day - a bad risk of damaging your eyesight permanantly. Using eyeglasses to look at the Sun at any time is extremely dangerous and can result in blindness.

By far the easiest way to watch will be to look at what NASA, the BBC, CNN or any of many other news organisations are showing online.

Hope this helps.

Edited May 30, 2012 by crepuscular ray

[Konstantinos]

No, it will not be visible by naked eye or eyeglasses looking directly at the Sun - the light from the Sun would completely swamp the tiny black dot that will be Venus. Looking at the transit directly or through eyeglasses would be just the same as looking at the Sun on any other day - a bad risk of damaging your eyesight permanantly. Using eyeglasses to look at the Sun at any time is extremely dangerous and can result in blindness.

By far the easiest way to watch will be to look at what NASA, the BBC, CNN or any of many other news organisations are showing online.

Hope this helps.

Ok, I understand and thank you. I thought it will be similar to Eclipse, but now I am disappointed. Hahahahaha... Ok, I will follow the news organizations and NASA.

I created a page on facebook about Transit of Venus 2012 in Greek language, but I will also write in English. If someone wants, please like it:

http://www.facebook....iAphroditis2012

Edited May 30, 2012 by Konstantinos

[Polar Maritime]

[Backtrack]

So, is this the last time Venus will be visible in the sky for 100 years, or the last time for 100 years it'll move in front of the sun?

[Konstantinos]

So, is this the last time Venus will be visible in the sky for 100 years, or the last time for 100 years it'll move in front of the sun?

This is the last time for 105 years Venus will be in the straight line, between Earth and Sun.

[Phil UK]

Will anyone be still alive in 2117 who can claim they have witnessed a Transit of Venus?

Well unless, as a couple of members have mentioned, I am frozen cryogenically, or if I live to be the grand old age of 147, then probably not!

That said... I heard yesterday that an experiment using the Hubble Space Telescope will see our Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy collide in 4 billion years thus creating a 'Super Galaxy.'

4 billion years? Hmmmm, no rush then!

Phil.

[Backtrack]

This is the last time for 105 years Venus will be in the straight line, between Earth and Sun.

Ah right, thanks.

So it'll still be visible? As I like Venus

[Konstantinos]

Ah right, thanks.

So it'll still be visible? As I like Venus

At night? Yes it is... I think so.

Edited June 1, 2012 by Konstantinos

[Crepuscular Ray]

Well, a lot of the time within 3+ hours after sunset or before sunrise at different times, depending on it and the Earth's positions relative to the Sun.

[Polar Maritime]

[Aaron]

Rain all day tomorrow.. no Venus show for us..