OBSERVATIONS OF THE TRANSIT OF VENUS JUNE 8, 2004

by Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

You must never stare at the Sun without proper protection. Here you can find out safe method to enjoy the historic transit. You must also remember never to look at the Sun thorugh a telescope. Safe exceptions from that rule are given below. Safe ways to observe the Sun:

• Eclipse glasses. These are special glasses that makes it safe to look directly at the Sun, but only for a few minutes without breaks. For most people they will give the best experience. They may be ordered at Eclipse glasses but they can only be sent to Norwegian postal addresses!
• Very dark (sooty) glasses should not be used.
• Projection of the Sun on a screen using a telescope. Do not look at the Sun directly through the telescope nor through the viewfinder. Turn the telescope towards the Sun (without ever looking through the telescope or its viewfinder) and put a white piece of paper behind the telescope. Adjust the distance so that the size of the solar disk is ok. Make the image sharp by focusing (read the instructions for the telescope). This kind of projection can only be done with refractors, internal equipment may melt in other kinds of telescopes.
• Old eclipse glasses may be used as long as they are in perfect shape. They must not have any holes in the protection film.
• Dark welding glasses may be used if they have quality 14 or larger. Exposed film can seem sufficiently dark but are often too transparent to invisible, but still harmful, radiation. In any case you should not stare at the Sun for very prolonged periods of time.
• Make a small hole in a thick piece of paper. Place another piece of paper behind the first one, maybe as much as one meter away. Never look directly at the Sun, but look at the second paper. By aligning the sheets and the hole towards the Sun, an image of the Sun will appear on the second paper. Venus will be there as a black dot.