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Venus To Transit the Sun In June, Not Again Until 2117

Posted by Soulskill on from the not-until-the-cubs-win-the-world-series dept.

revealingheart writes with this quote from ScienceDaily: "On 5 and 6 June this year, millions of people around the world will be able to see Venus pass across the face of the Sun in what will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It will take Venus about six hours to complete its transit, appearing as a small black dot on the Sun's surface, in an event that will not happen again until 2117. ...Transits of Venus occur only on the very rare occasions when Venus and Earth are in a line with the Sun. At other times Venus passes below or above the Sun because the two orbits are at a slight angle to each other. Transits occur in pairs separated by eight years, with the gap between pairs of transits alternating between 105.5 and 121.5 years — the last transit was in 2004." You can check this chart to see whether it'll be visible at your location, and when you should look. You'll need a safe way to watch unless you are Vulcan. And yes, there's even a phone app to help you out.

10 of 143 comments (clear)

  1. Is it just me... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Or is there one of these once in a lifetime events about once a year?

    1. Re:Is it just me... by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 4, Funny

      No, you're just really old.

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      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    2. Re:Is it just me... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Better yet, this exact once in a lifetime event happened a scant 8 years ago... So those of you over the age of 8 might be witnessing a twice in a lifetime event.

    3. Re:Is it just me... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      But probably only be lucid to one of them

  2. Re:More than once by rrohbeck · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well it's 2012. Maybe the Mayans were about a half year off.

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  3. Re:More than once by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Let me make sure I've got this right. You spend time and money on observing Venus transit the sun and expected more than 'Just small circle passing by on sun's surface.' What exactly did you think was going to happen? Really I must know what you thought it was going to look like it.

  4. Re:More than once by Bowling+Moses · · Score: 3, Funny

    I've already got binoculars and a sheet of paper's pretty cheap. To me this looks like a good excuse to buy a welder's hood with #14 glass (as per the link in TFA). Once I've got the hood, that's an excuse to buy the torch...and presto! A new hobby is born!

    OK, a welder's hood can be pricey. But you can buy the glass for less than $10.

  5. Re:More than once by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    What about if you look at the sun while masturbating?

  6. Re:Also... by Opportunist · · Score: 3, Funny

    Problem is, if you guys can see each other you're WAY out of reach for a handshake.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  7. Re:Actually, ... by Opportunist · · Score: 3, Funny

    Good idea. I mean, as a geek, dates are probably rarer than Venus transits.

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    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.