Rare opportunity for skywatchers
Tuesday, April 10th, 2012
Skywatchers from Camrose and all over the world will have their telescopes out June 4 when the planet Venus transits the face of the sun.
"Since the invention of the telescope four centuries ago, the planet Venus has passed in front of – transited – the face of the sun on seven occasions," said University of Alberta astronomer Dr. Doug Hube, who will be talking about the event in Room C167 of the Augustana campus classroom building tomorrow night (April 11), starting at 7 p.m.
"Only six of those transits have been observed."
In the 18th and 19th centuries, observations of transits of Venus constituted "big science" and many European nations sent expeditions to remote locations.
Dr. Hube will be providing instructions in his presentation on where and how to observe the transit safely, as well as describe the science, scientific importance and the history of the observations of the transits.
The witnessing of the Venus transit on June 4 will be a true once-in-a-liftime opportunity. The transit after that won't happen until December, 2117.
