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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.

17 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.

      --

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

    2. Re:Is it just me... by Relic+of+the+Future · · Score: 4, Informative
      No, but that one "Mars at closest approach!" email has been chaining around for a decade. (So remember people, make it clear that it's June 5th 2012 when you tell your Fwd: happy relatives and friends.)

      But seriously, the transit of Venus IS a big deal. The first post-enlightenment ToV was how we were able to determine the size of an AU, making it the first step in the chain to understanding the size of everything else in the universe beyond the Earth.

      --
      Those who fail to understand communication protocols, are doomed to repeat them over port 80.
    3. 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.

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

      But probably only be lucid to one of them

  2. More than once by SmlFreshwaterBuffalo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...in what will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience

    Transits occur in pairs...the last transit was in 2004.

    So, what you're saying is it could be a twice-in-a-lifetime experience for some?

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

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

      --
      thegodmovie.com - watch it
    2. 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.

    3. Re:More than once by Barbara,+not+Barbie · · Score: 3, Informative

      What money?

      WW1 aces would look into the sun with no eye protection whatsoever, because the best place to attack from was with the sun at your back.

      You cannot go blind looking at the sun.

      Yes, staring for several minutes can cause some damage, even sometimes permanent damage. But a few seconds at a time? Doesn't happen. And it's much less likely to happen if you're nearsighted to begin with and don't correct your vision (don't wear glasses or contacts) - the light simply will not focus.

      --
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    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:More than once by janeil · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Well, opinions differ. I watched that last transit on a cheapo telescope with a sun filter and would rank it very high as an astronomical experience. The perfect circle of venus moving across the sun, the speed of movement, just knowing what you were looking at was happening RIGHT NOW, blew me away. But I paid nothing, it was visible where I live. I wouldn't travel halfway across the world for a total eclipse, probably wouldn't do so to see another transit of venus, either. So, it's pretty cool, if you can watch it from your backyard.

  3. Probably THE best way to "watch"... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    The Sun Today - Atmospheric Imaging Assembly

    Most likely the best view: 4500k - Visible Light

    Images are updated every 30 minutes.

  4. Good view from home! by spaceyhackerlady · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I live in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, and not only will we have a good view (egress is just after sunset), the weather prospects are decent. My mylar filter is ready to go on my Takahashi, so is my Coronado PST, bought on the way to the airport to observe the 2006 eclipse in Turkey.

    In 2004 I looked at creative places I might go to see the transit, and one candidate was Inuvik, thanks to the midnight sun. Until I looked at the weather prospects there, and concluded it wasn't going to happen. I got skunked by the 2010 eclipse from Mangaia in the Cook Islands, nice sunny weather the entire time, except at the time of the eclipse. Nice place, otherwise.

    ...laura

  5. Those wanting to photograph without damaging cam by tanveer1979 · · Score: 4, Informative

    400mm telephotos are best, but your camera will damage if you try to do direct photography.
    So go to ebay.com, and get a cheap 900nm+ IR filter. These filters are so dark, that even bright sun is a pale object through them.
    These cost 20$ for a 77mm filter.

    With filter on, point your cam at sun, shoot with 1/1000 or faster and then quickly point camera away.

    Remember, do not keep camera pointed at the sun continously.

    I did a solar eclipse with 300mm lens.
    Here are the pics
    http://tanveer.smugmug.com/Nature/Solar-Eclipse-July-22/8996323_xLmdqp#!i=598157547&k=7ZhhD.

    you can also stack two filters, but then you would need a shutter speed of 1/500 or slower.

    --
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  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.