Transit of Venus - 2012

[Steven van Roode]

It's just little less than a year towards the next transit of Venus on June 5/6, 2012. It's our very last chance to see a transit of Venus - the next one will be in 2117! If you're already looking for your local transit times, background information or exciting projects to participate in, there's now a new international website: Here, you'll find everything you need to know for your preparations.

[Telrad]

June 5-6 2012 It'll be visible in its entirety from Hawaii, Alaska, Australia, the Pacific and eastern Asia, with the beginning of the transit visible from North America...

Thank you for posting this link Steven! Fantastic!

[Moonshane]

I'm thinking of a family holiday to Turkey perhaps as I want to guarantee clear skies. if not I'll be driving somewhere that has them if the forecast is rubbish for the UK.

cannot afford trips to far flung places unfortunately - my brothers live in Thailand though!

[beamish]

Got my spot marked out already. Top of the sea wall or the Quarter deck at Robin Hood's Bay. Sunrise over the sea to the NE, calm seas and clear skies .....and a winning lottery ticket in my back pocket;)

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I got the previous transit on camera, will gun for this one as well. Thanks for the reminder.

[Mark at Beaufort]

Steven formally welcome to SGL and what a wonderful video showing the historic events from the 1769 transit.

I was involved with a major event in 2004 which won the 'best video' award at the Paris Academy of Science run by the European Space Agency - I provided one of the telescopes and took the astro photos that appeared in the video as well as doing a live interview - link -

ESO

Clearly it would be good to re-visit the same site in the Golden Valley, Herefordshire and view the transit at sunrise.

Mark

[russ]

Excellent, have fond memories of the 2004 transit. Great day off work that was. Roll on 2012 June 6th D-Day and hopefully another great day.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Excellent, have fond memories of the 2004 transit. Great day off work that was. Roll on 2012 June 6th D-Day and hopefully another great day.

I did not have a day off, but took the C8 to work. It was a glorious day, and I sat outside, alternating between grading student papers, and having another peek through the scope, and taking pics. My main sources of distraction were people asking me if they could have a look (which they could of course).

[Tim Armes]

Hmm, for me the transit starts just after midnight with the Egress interior at 6:37.

Sun rise is at 5:55, so I can just about see the end of the event.

What's the best filter to place over a 200mm reflector to see the event with?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Hmm, for me the transit starts just after midnight with the Egress interior at 6:37.

Sun rise is at 5:55, so I can just about see the end of the event.

What's the best filter to place over a 200mm reflector to see the event with?

Baader solar film.

[Steven van Roode]

I was involved with a major event in 2004 which won the 'best video' award at the Paris Academy of Science run by the European Space Agency - I provided one of the telescopes and took the astro photos that appeared in the video as well as doing a live interview Mark

Mark, do you still have this video? I would love to show it on the Transit of Venus Project's website!

Steven

[Tim Armes]

Baader solar film.

Thx. This seem reasonable?

Kendrick Solar Filters

Tim

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Thx. This seem reasonable?

Kendrick Solar Filters

Tim

Rather expensive, an A4 sheet of Baader film seems sufficient, that costs 20 euros plus some stuff (cardboard is OK) to make the holder.

[Astrokev]

Thx. This seem reasonable?

Kendrick Solar Filters

Tim

That's the right filter material, so OK in that respect, but the cost is high. Far cheaper (about £20 tops if I remember correctly) to buy a piece of the film yourself from astro-suppliers and make your own filter housing. Very easy to do - there's several threads on the forum showing how to do it with bits of cardboard.

EDIT: it seems Michael just beat me to it while I was typing this reply! Glad we're both saying the same thing!

[Mark at Beaufort]

Mark, do you still have this video? I would love to show it on the Transit of Venus Project's website!

Steven

Steven I have a copy of the DVD but I will ask Paul Haley to give the OK because it was his company that produced the original.

Here is Paul's website for background information.

Welcome to the Spacewatch Website

PS - Steven - I have sent Paul a private email. I will keep you informed of developments.

Mark

[spaceboy]

I didn't realize I would have the opportunity in my life time. I had read that these transits don't happen very often so I hope I get to see it. I managed to miss Haley's comet when I was a kid thinking I would get another chance. Yeah **** that one up 87 year orbits

[WayBig]

I'm not planning on going away or taking a day off to see it, but if it's forecast to be cloudy where I live I bet there'll be a long overnight dash to whichever part of the country is clear!

[Ant]

I really enjoyed the previous transit - it's a real privilege to have seen some that only a few tens of thousands of people have seem.

I remember being huddled up under a blanket in the June heat (you remember when June's were hot and sunny?). I took over 900 pictures in the few hours that the transit took. My wife kept me plied with Bacon sandwiches and coffee

I did a little animation a few more images can be seen here >http://www.ant.emberson.org/venus_transit_2004.htm<.

Looking forward to the next one

Cheers

Ant

[stolenfeather]

Thank you for the link Steven. I simply can't miss that!

Isabelle

[Demonperformer]

We were definitely blessed with good weather for the 2004 event. Down in Poole Park with some members of Wessex AS, collaring passers-by to 'have a look' through one of the scopes set up. Didn't have a scope at the time and all I could do was take some piccies with my Canon and TP lens. Not wonderful, but still nice to have.

But the thing that sticks in my memory of the event is the way that schools had the kids watching a simulation of the event (not even the real thing) on computer while it was actually going on outside:rolleyes:. Is that any way to get children interested in REAL science?

[Steven van Roode]

PS - Steven - I have sent Paul a private email. I will keep you informed of developments.

Mark

Thanks, Mark! I really appreciate.

[russ]

I remember being huddled up under a blanket in the June heat (you remember when June's were hot and sunny?).

Ah yes, that was when they said summers would always be scorching, winters mild and we would never see snow again.....and all that based on 2 hot summers.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I really enjoyed the previous transit - it's a real privilege to have seen some that only a few tens of thousands of people have seem.

I remember being huddled up under a blanket in the June heat (you remember when June's were hot and sunny?). I took over 900 pictures in the few hours that the transit took. My wife kept me plied with Bacon sandwiches and coffee

I did a little animation a few more images can be seen here >http://www.ant.emberson.org/venus_transit_2004.htm<.

Looking forward to the next one

Cheers

Ant

Beauty!

[Mark at Beaufort]

Steven I have had a reply from Paul Haley and he is happy to release the video but says that it needs to come from the production company. I have sent an email to Matt at Artaura so if all is OK I will send you a private message so you can discuss arrangements with Matt direct.

I found the DVD last night and its 8 minutes long and I have a few more grey hairs since 2004!!!

Hope to send a message to you shortly.

Mark

[Skiddins]

Is Venus visible at this time of year at all?

I know it's fairly close to the sun, but I have also read it can be visible in daylight depending on position etc.

Skiddins