Venus in transit: The world will be watching

ladysycamore · 06-07-2004, 04:11 PM

Some of the best views of the June 8 Venus transit will be live on the Internet.
by Francis Reddy

Updated June 7, 2004
When clouds spoiled Guillaume Le Gentil's chance of viewing the 1769 transit of Venus, the French astronomer wrote that he was "more than two weeks in a singular dejection." In 1761, while outrunning British forces during the Seven Years' War, Le Gentil had lost his other opportunity to see this event.
If you're clouded out like Le Gentil on June 8 — well, there's always 2012. But observers with Internet access will have the best seats in the house.

Dozens of institutions will bring the transit to a browser near you, posting images and live video feeds to web sites across the Internet. The equipment ranges from modest to state-of-the-art. Research-grade instruments include the Swedish 1-meter Solar Telescope on the Canary Islands, and the trio of solar telescopes — in Australia, India, and the Canary Islands — of the National Solar Observatory's Global Oscillation Network Group (NSO/GONG). Both sites will be posting images and animations throughout the transit.

Even a few satellites will get in on the act. Right now, Venus can be seen drifting toward the Sun in one view from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) satellite. SOHO monitors the Sun from a "halo orbit" around a point about 930,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) closer to the Sun than Earth. The spacecraft is currently offset from a direct line between the pair, so from SOHO's viewpoint, Venus will track beneath the Sun instead of passing directly across it. Still, the spacecraft's instruments will detect the planet as it blocks diffuse ultraviolet light from the Sun's inner corona. Another consequence of the spacecraft's viewpoint is that the transit begins three hours after it starts at Earth. When the transit reaches its height for ground-based observers, around 4:20 A.M. EDT, it will just be starting for SOHO.

The Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) satellite watches the Sun from Earth orbit, so its view of the transit will be similar to that seen by observers on the ground — with one exception. The reason scientists traveled the globe to view past transits was that Venus takes a slightly different track across the Sun when viewed from different locations on Earth. This shift is the parallax of Venus and can be used to determine the planet's distance. TRACE travels from pole to pole every orbit. From its perspective, the silhouette of Venus will "bounce" across the solar surface, regularly oscillating above and below the straight-line track Earth-based observers will see.

Both SOHO and TRACE scientists will use the black spot of Venus as a reference for improving their understanding of how stray light scatters within spacecraft instruments.

A table of sites providing live images of the transit is listed below. Because this event is both of historical significance and well publicized, expect Internet traffic to be heavy. Some sites may be unreachable at times.

And if you're clouded out and stuck in an Internet traffic jam? Well, there's always 2012.

Check out the site for Links to Venus transit images & webcasts:
http://www.astronomy.com/Content/Dyn...1/750amyns.asp

SteveDallas · 06-07-2004, 04:18 PM

Assuming it's not cloudy, I'll be out at the local park with my trusty ETX-70 at 5:30AM to check it out.

(Disclaimer: Don't look at it unless you have proper equipment for safely observing the Sun.)

TheLorax · 06-07-2004, 05:59 PM

I'm on it - I love this geeky science shit.

SteveDallas · 06-08-2004, 08:36 AM

I saw it.... I wasn't overly optimistic at first. I arrived at the park at about 5:45AM. The sky was very clear.... except in the east. But the sun was still too low, so it was too early to tell. But it was quite hazy. In fact, there were individual "chunks" of fog on the baseball diamond, which is the lowest part of the park.

By 6:00 the sun was up in the middle of the trees and I was able to find a strategic spot and while it was still hazy, there it was as advertised.

I had to move my setup 3 or 4 times to realign with respect to the trees, but I kept it in view. By about 6:35 or 6:40 almost all the haze was burned off, and the sun was now above the trees. The edge of Venus touched the edge of the sun around 7:05 by my watch (probably not accurate), and was completely gone at about 7:25.

All in all, worth getting up at 5:15 AM for!

jaguar · 06-08-2004, 10:23 AM

Am I the only one that just doesnt care about this. Buy glasses, watch small black disc pass over sun, throw away glasses and watch teh repeats on CNN for the next 6 months.

SteveDallas · 06-08-2004, 10:51 AM

Most rare astronomical events are ultimately more meaningful for their historical value than for their visual flair. Once you've seen the shots from the space probes and Hubble (to say nothing of movie special effects), if all you're really interested in is a fabulous picture, you're bound to be disappointed with what you see in a telescope. But there are other compensations for direct observing.

jaguar · 06-08-2004, 10:57 AM

But in the scheme of things...I mean it was a major scientific breakthrough at the time (measuring the distance from the earth to the sun which allowed them to work out the 'unit' they had been measuring all the planet distances in, if i remember correctly but now....*shurgs*. Never been a space junkie either way.

Elspode · 06-08-2004, 11:15 AM

I think it is cool just to be able to see something that hasn't been seen in 120 years.

Okay...it would have been cool, had I been (1) awake, (2) further East, and (3) in a cloud-free environenment, none of which was I this morning.

OnyxCougar · 06-08-2004, 11:23 AM

I keep looking for pictures and can't find any....

jaguar · 06-08-2004, 11:25 AM

Another oppotunity in 2012 IIRC.

lookout123 · 06-08-2004, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jaguar
Never been a space junkie either way.

me either, i'm still impatiently waiting for my own millenium falcon or even an x-wing but noooooooo damn scientists haven't gotten that far yet. they spend way too much time worrying about the effects of my suv on some damn spotted owl or some such shit, when if they just got their acts together, created a hyperdrive unit, we could already be working on conquering and destroying other planets...

SteveDallas · 06-08-2004, 12:08 PM

Here you go OC...

http://skyandtelescope.com/news/article_1276_1.asp

I swore off even trying to take pics through my telescope, but the one on that link credited to Rick Feinberg is very similar to what I saw.

OnyxCougar · 06-08-2004, 12:10 PM

Thanks SteveD

lumberjim · 06-08-2004, 12:27 PM

i've heard of a pink moon.....

ladysycamore · 06-08-2004, 02:48 PM

Wow cool pic. I forget how small we are compared to the sun.

06-07-2004, 04:11 PM	#1
ladysycamore "I may not always be perfect, but I'm always me." Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: In Sycamore's boxers Posts: 1,341	Venus in transit: The world will be watching Some of the best views of the June 8 Venus transit will be live on the Internet. by Francis Reddy Updated June 7, 2004 When clouds spoiled Guillaume Le Gentil's chance of viewing the 1769 transit of Venus, the French astronomer wrote that he was "more than two weeks in a singular dejection." In 1761, while outrunning British forces during the Seven Years' War, Le Gentil had lost his other opportunity to see this event. If you're clouded out like Le Gentil on June 8 — well, there's always 2012. But observers with Internet access will have the best seats in the house. Dozens of institutions will bring the transit to a browser near you, posting images and live video feeds to web sites across the Internet. The equipment ranges from modest to state-of-the-art. Research-grade instruments include the Swedish 1-meter Solar Telescope on the Canary Islands, and the trio of solar telescopes — in Australia, India, and the Canary Islands — of the National Solar Observatory's Global Oscillation Network Group (NSO/GONG). Both sites will be posting images and animations throughout the transit. Even a few satellites will get in on the act. Right now, Venus can be seen drifting toward the Sun in one view from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) satellite. SOHO monitors the Sun from a "halo orbit" around a point about 930,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) closer to the Sun than Earth. The spacecraft is currently offset from a direct line between the pair, so from SOHO's viewpoint, Venus will track beneath the Sun instead of passing directly across it. Still, the spacecraft's instruments will detect the planet as it blocks diffuse ultraviolet light from the Sun's inner corona. Another consequence of the spacecraft's viewpoint is that the transit begins three hours after it starts at Earth. When the transit reaches its height for ground-based observers, around 4:20 A.M. EDT, it will just be starting for SOHO. The Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) satellite watches the Sun from Earth orbit, so its view of the transit will be similar to that seen by observers on the ground — with one exception. The reason scientists traveled the globe to view past transits was that Venus takes a slightly different track across the Sun when viewed from different locations on Earth. This shift is the parallax of Venus and can be used to determine the planet's distance. TRACE travels from pole to pole every orbit. From its perspective, the silhouette of Venus will "bounce" across the solar surface, regularly oscillating above and below the straight-line track Earth-based observers will see. Both SOHO and TRACE scientists will use the black spot of Venus as a reference for improving their understanding of how stray light scatters within spacecraft instruments. A table of sites providing live images of the transit is listed below. Because this event is both of historical significance and well publicized, expect Internet traffic to be heavy. Some sites may be unreachable at times. And if you're clouded out and stuck in an Internet traffic jam? Well, there's always 2012. Check out the site for Links to Venus transit images & webcasts: http://www.astronomy.com/Content/Dyn...1/750amyns.asp __________________ "Freedom is not given. It is our right at birth. But there are some moments when it must be taken." ~Tagline from the movie "Amistad"~ "The Akan concept of Sankofa: In order to move forward we first have to take a step back. In other words, before we can be prepared for the future, we must comprehend the past." From "We Did It, They Hid It"

06-07-2004, 05:59 PM	#3
TheLorax Keeper of the Decorum Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NC - USA Posts: 59	I'm on it - I love this geeky science shit. __________________ "Unless someone like you cares a whole lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." Dr. Seuss

06-08-2004, 10:23 AM	#5
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	Am I the only one that just doesnt care about this. Buy glasses, watch small black disc pass over sun, throw away glasses and watch teh repeats on CNN for the next 6 months. __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

06-08-2004, 10:57 AM	#7
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	But in the scheme of things...I mean it was a major scientific breakthrough at the time (measuring the distance from the earth to the sun which allowed them to work out the 'unit' they had been measuring all the planet distances in, if i remember correctly but now....shurgs. Never been a space junkie either way. __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

06-08-2004, 11:15 AM	#8
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	I think it is cool just to be able to see something that hasn't been seen in 120 years. Okay...it would have been cool, had I been (1) awake, (2) further East, and (3) in a cloud-free environenment, none of which was I this morning. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

06-07-2004, 04:18 PM	#2
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	Assuming it's not cloudy, I'll be out at the local park with my trusty ETX-70 at 5:30AM to check it out. (Disclaimer: Don't look at it unless you have proper equipment for safely observing the Sun.)

06-08-2004, 08:36 AM	#4
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	I saw it.... I wasn't overly optimistic at first. I arrived at the park at about 5:45AM. The sky was very clear.... except in the east. But the sun was still too low, so it was too early to tell. But it was quite hazy. In fact, there were individual "chunks" of fog on the baseball diamond, which is the lowest part of the park. By 6:00 the sun was up in the middle of the trees and I was able to find a strategic spot and while it was still hazy, there it was as advertised. I had to move my setup 3 or 4 times to realign with respect to the trees, but I kept it in view. By about 6:35 or 6:40 almost all the haze was burned off, and the sun was now above the trees. The edge of Venus touched the edge of the sun around 7:05 by my watch (probably not accurate), and was completely gone at about 7:25. All in all, worth getting up at 5:15 AM for!

06-08-2004, 10:51 AM	#6
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	Most rare astronomical events are ultimately more meaningful for their historical value than for their visual flair. Once you've seen the shots from the space probes and Hubble (to say nothing of movie special effects), if all you're really interested in is a fabulous picture, you're bound to be disappointed with what you see in a telescope. But there are other compensations for direct observing.

06-08-2004, 11:23 AM	#9
OnyxCougar Junior Master Dwellar Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kingdom of Atlantia Posts: 2,979	I keep looking for pictures and can't find any.... __________________ Impotentes defendere libertatem non possunt. "Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth." ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

06-08-2004, 11:25 AM	#10
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	Another oppotunity in 2012 IIRC. __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

06-08-2004, 12:08 PM	#12
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	Here you go OC... http://skyandtelescope.com/news/article_1276_1.asp I swore off even trying to take pics through my telescope, but the one on that link credited to Rick Feinberg is very similar to what I saw.

06-08-2004, 12:10 PM	#13
OnyxCougar Junior Master Dwellar Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kingdom of Atlantia Posts: 2,979	Thanks SteveD __________________ Impotentes defendere libertatem non possunt. "Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth." ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

06-08-2004, 12:27 PM	#14
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	i've heard of a pink moon..... __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

06-08-2004, 02:48 PM	#15
ladysycamore "I may not always be perfect, but I'm always me." Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: In Sycamore's boxers Posts: 1,341	Wow cool pic. I forget how small we are compared to the sun. __________________ "Freedom is not given. It is our right at birth. But there are some moments when it must be taken." ~Tagline from the movie "Amistad"~ "The Akan concept of Sankofa: In order to move forward we first have to take a step back. In other words, before we can be prepared for the future, we must comprehend the past." From "We Did It, They Hid It"

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