TRANSIT OF VENUS JUNE 8, 2004: WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE?

By Kjetil Kjernsmo

Transits of Venus have not been seen by anyone living today. We can still figure out how it will be when Venus moves across the solar disk.

Venus transits the Sun

The black dot is Venus when it moves across the solar disk. Illustrations: Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo/SOHO.

The first dot ("first contact") will come around 07.18 am in Norway, the other one ("second contact") about twenty minutes later. Venus will be in the middle of its path at 10:20. At 13.03 it will start to leave the solar disk ("third contact") and it will leave the Sun completely at 13.22 ("last contact").

Everything happens smoothly. We will see a black dot slowly moving into the solar disk from the left in the lower part of the image. It will then cross along the line as indicated.

It is extremely important never to stare at the Sun with unprotected eyes and never look at the Sun through a telescope without proper filters. These precautions are the same as for solar eclipses. The best methods to enjoy this historic event will be by using eclipse glasses or projection methods. Observational methods.

Venuus crossing the solar disk

The track shows when and where it will be.
Illustration: Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics; University of Oslo.

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