Viewing The Venus Transit

[laarobbins]

Hi there

I'm trying to get some advice on viewing the venus transit safely - I don't have a telescope but have heard you can project from a pair of binoculars - is that possible?

Or any advice on making a home-made device for safe viewing?

Thanks! Lou

[cotterless45]

Yep,'tis possible. It is also possible we'll be getting 100% cloud.

[Lenny147]

Yeah i think there is more chance of winning the Euromillions, atleast we have internet streaming of the event online

[BobSki]

Hi there

I'm trying to get some advice on viewing the venus transit safely - I don't have a telescope but have heard you can project from a pair of binoculars - is that possible?

Or any advice on making a home-made device for safe viewing?

Thanks! Lou

Hi Lou,

Yes it is possible and all you need is a pair of binoculars and a piece of white or very light card. Set your binos up so that they are pointing at the sun (BuT, Obviously DON'T LOOK THROUGH THEM). Place a piece of white card or paper beneath them and you should get a projected image of the sun on the paper, where you should see the small black disc of Venus crossing the sun. All observed on the paper of course NOT by looking at the sun.

Of course, here in England it looks very much like we are going to be dissapointed as the weather forecasts are all predicting 100% cloud cover and rain.

(The health and safety advice included here not intended to teach the intelligent to suck eggs, merely to cover myself if the not so intelligent happen to read this ).

[steelyglint]

hi think you might find this useful...the weather forecast looks utterly toilet......Venus Transit: Live from Keck Observatory | W. M. Keck Observatory

[laarobbins]

Thanks all for the advice, much appreciated! Let's hope that they all have got the weather forecast wrong ;-)

Lou

[JamesM]

Just to add to BobSki's instructions, you will find it useful to create a small cardboard screen at the front of the binos in order to create sufficient shadow in the area behind so that the projected solar disc can be seen. I would use a piece of cardboard about about 12" square, put the binos somewhere in the middle and draw around the two front objective lenses and cut them out. This should ensure no light escapes and you can enjoy the view. If you stick a matchstick somewhere in between those two circles that you have removed, you will know when you have aligned your binos with the sun when you can't see the matchstick's shadow anymore.

James