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Venus Transit - 2012

gcraib

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gcraib

gcraib

Posted
Posted

I'd like to go and observe this with my telescope but the UK is not going to be the best place to do it. So I'm thinking we need to be heading east (at least +6 hours, ideally +12).

But how to do this?

Saw only one company online doing travel for it, but it was too expensive and the dates don't suit me.

I'd like to find something cheaper (just flight and board really) with no excursions (at least not before the transit).

Anybody know such a thing?

Also how do you transport a telescope onto a flight?

With weight restrictions this is fairly difficult but that is nothing compared to risking damaging your valuable equipment!

Can you hire telescopes?

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ScubaMike

ScubaMike

Posted
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the dates don't suit me.

Not sure you will be able to do anything about that ;)

A few from my astro club are treking to Hawaii for the transit.

They take short tube scopes (and solar scopes too of course) and take them on as hand luggage.

Most flights are reasonably accomodating, I always take my underwater video gear as hand luggage for instance, despite it being a little larger that the recommended limits. Once I expalin and show them the equipment, they have always allowed me to take it through.

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JB80

JB80

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It would be good if there were regional meetups, even though we wouldn't get much of a show maybe an hours worth but it would be good to find a nice spot and view it with other SGL members.

Also I wonder if anyone is actually travelling to see this?

Iceland or Greenland might be a nice short trip.

edit: Just asked the better half if she wanted to go to Iceland in June and she said yes.;)

Now to see if we can turn this into reality. Although it's still won't be the total transit, the start before sunset and finsish after sunrise.

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E621Keith

E621Keith

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Rather than Hawaii, I'm planning to travel to the Far East. There is a greater risk of cloud and rain, but the flight and accommodation are considerably cheaper.

Ha scope and 80mm frac and computer will go in hand luggage, mount and the tougher eyepiece will be checked in. The equipments going into the hold will be packed in such a way that they will survive a 1 storey fall.

Just out of interest, are there anyone else who's planning to go to the Far East instead of Hawaii?

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JB80

JB80

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How far East? my wife has ruled out Russia, China, Mongolia et al. So far Iceland or Tromso is the two we started talking about, maybe Canada or Alaska even.

I think at best I could take my PST but not much more than that and some camera equipment.

Has anyone got a better map than this one?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/VenusTransit2012-Map-2.gif

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E621Keith

E621Keith

Posted
Posted
How far East? my wife has ruled out Russia, China, Mongolia et al. So far Iceland or Tromso is the two we started talking about, maybe Canada or Alaska even.

I think at best I could take my PST but not much more than that and some camera equipment.

I think it may be difficult to get Russian visa and permits for going into Siberia. Eastern China will have air pollution so bad you won't be able to see the sun.

I was thinking Taiwan, Japan or S.Korea. Slightly more developed, so it will be possible to get around using public transports and lonelyplanet guide. I'm still trying to generate enough interest in my club, but even in the worse case scenario where no one is interested, I know I can backpacking in those three countries relatively safely.

In the case of Japan or Taiwan, may be shopping for some eyepieces and accessories while there.

I wonder if perhaps it could be "broadcast" over the web?, not the same but cheaper.

I am sure that some of the robotic telescopes can do this service for those of us who are staying at home!

I'm sure they will do it. I watched Mercury Transit 2006 online. It's not the same, it's just like watching a playback.

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Dangerous-Dave

Dangerous-Dave

Posted
Posted
How far East? my wife has ruled out Russia, China, Mongolia et al. So far Iceland or Tromso is the two we started talking about, maybe Canada or Alaska even.

I think at best I could take my PST but not much more than that and some camera equipment.

Has anyone got a better map than this one?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/VenusTransit2012-Map-2.gif

You will get the start and finish in Iceland but the sun sets and rises again in the middle.

Likewise in Tromso, the sun will be low and grazing the northern horizon for much of the event.

I have looked into this a bit as we were thinking of doing the same!

With regards equipment, I am not really bothered about eyeball observation so planned to use an 800mm mirror lens with white light filter.

SunCalc - sun position, sunlight phases, sunrise, sunset, dusk and dawn times calculator

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JB80

JB80

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Yeah I have checked all that but they are still a lot cheaper options than going further abroad and will give a better and longer viewing than here in Belgium. Perched on a good hill somewhere and I should be able to make the most of it.

If we wanted to spend a lot we'd go back to Australia and see family while we're at it.

Either way at the least we will get a couple of weeks holiday out of it wherever we go, knowing my luck and celestial events it will be cloudy.

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661-pete

661-pete

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Hmmm... doesn't look like there are many nearby locations where you can see the whole transit, so unless you want to venture as far as the Pacific....;)

Since we had such a good view of the 2004 transit (at least, I was one of the lucky ones) - with perfect weather - I've since then regarded the 2012 one as a sort of 'added bonus': was looking forward to it in reserve in case the 2004 didn't come off, but now I probably won't bother (although if weather is kind, I may get up before dawn to see at least some of it).

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LeoLion

LeoLion

Posted
Posted

Beamish seems to have picked a spot close to where I had in mind (Up Ravenscar way !) . Up by Whitby Abbey or above Robin Hoods Bay could be OK . I could go back to Scarborough North Bay where we observed the partial annular solar eclipse at sunrise a few years ago now .

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lukebl

lukebl

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We should be able to catch the last bit of it for 45 minutes or so on the east coast at sunrise. I intend being on the NE Norfolk coast with an uninterrupted sea horizon to capture it at sunrise. Rather an early start, though!

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beamish

beamish

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Beamish seems to have picked a spot close to where I had in mind (Up Ravenscar way !) . Up by Whitby Abbey or above Robin Hoods Bay could be OK . I could go back to Scarborough North Bay where we observed the partial annular solar eclipse at sunrise a few years ago now .

Good spots or the Quarterdeck at RHB :)

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LeoLion

LeoLion

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Theres two rental cottages at Whitby Lighthouse , 'Galatea' & 'Vanguard' that would give a great viewpoint for the transit Holiday cottage in North Yorkshire but the light pollution could be a bit of a downer :( and the 'Whitby Mad Bull ' foghorn could keep you up a bit if a sea fret came in :) . It's Heartbeat country too ( back to my yoooth :p ).

Good Yorkshire beer too .

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lukebl

lukebl

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Depends if it's made of concrete or wooden planks :)

I thought of that, but as it's solar imaging I thought it wouldn't be be as critical as long-exposure imaging. Anyway, there's always the surrounding cliffs which give a commanding view.

That's where I'll be anyway.

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