Transit of Venus
Saw the transit of Venus across the sun yesterday morning. Woke before dawn (around 4:45) and headed over to the top of this parking garage near the university. The Astronomy Department had about 5 telescopes as well as the biggest binoculars I've ever seen, all rigged out with special filters so as not to blind anyone. There were about 250 people there--kind of weird seeing that many people gathered at 5 in the morning.
Venus looked surprisingly large against the sun. If the sun were a the tire of the average automobile, Venus would be just a little bit smaller than a cicada's head. It looked like a beauty mark placed at the 4-o'clock portion of the sun.
There will be another chance to see the transit of Venus in 8 years. After that, I think it won't happen again for another century.
Venus looked surprisingly large against the sun. If the sun were a the tire of the average automobile, Venus would be just a little bit smaller than a cicada's head. It looked like a beauty mark placed at the 4-o'clock portion of the sun.
There will be another chance to see the transit of Venus in 8 years. After that, I think it won't happen again for another century.