In two weeks time (June 6, 2012, Wednesday) Venus, who has
been glittering in the evening sky over the past few months will transit the Sun for the second time this century. The last time the transit occurred was on
June 8, 2004. For those who missed it last time better catch it this time or
you will never get another chance to see it. The next transit will occur only
on December 11, 2117.
An animated view of Venus Transit in 2004
This year’s transit will occur between 3:39am IST to 10:19am
IST. We would only be able to see it only after sun rise which is approximately
5:30am IST.
A transit is nothing but an occultation (just like an
eclipse) when a planet (usually Mercury or Venus) comes in between Earth and
Sun. Unlike the Moon, the planet cannot block the entire Sun since it is very
small from Earth’s perspective. Hence we can see the planet only as a tiny dot over
the Sun.
Best way to look at the transit is by using an Eclipse
Shades or Welder’s Glass. DO NOT look directly into the Sun as it may cause
damage to your eyes. Neither try to look at it using Sun Glasses as it does not
block out the Sun’s brightness completely.
Venus Transits Past, Present and Future
Below are the three images of the upcoming Transit that I took using the application 'Stellarium'. The first image is how the transit will look at sunrise (5:40am IST). The second one is at 8:00am IST and the third is at 10:00am IST. Click on the images to get a clear view of the transit.
Transit at 5:40am IST
Transit at 8:00am IST
Transit at 10:00am IST
