Starting this evening, a very rare occurrence will begin – the transition of the planet Venus across our Sun.
Ho-hum, you might say but this will be the last time this transition occurs during our lifetime. The transitions happen in pairs – our last one was in 2004. The next time it will happen is in 2117 – here’s to hoping you’re still around then! Maybe your grandchildren will see it?
In North America, this will be visible (with special viewing equipment – DON’T Look at the SUN!) at sunset. The best visibility will be in the Pacific – Alaska, Hawaii, eastern Asia and most of Australia. North America, western Asia, most of Europe and eastern Africa will have partial visibility either at sunrise or sunset depending on where you are.
Better yet, safely watch the transition on-line via one of the links listed here.
Because the orbits of Venus and Earth are not on the same plane (unlike those diagrams from grade school…) the planets take so long to line up for this to occur. This event has happened only 7 other times during the telescopic age, according to the BBC – in 1631, 1639, 1761, 1769, 1874, 1882 and 2004. They happen in pairs, 8 years apart. Our last one was in 2004. The one before that happened when the West was still expanding…Colorado had only been a state for 6 years!
This event also holds a lot of significance for astronomers because it helps them calibrate and understand the distances of the planets and the structure of the universe. If you can actually understand this, please continue reading this link because it goes well beyond my ability to explain.
If you are into the more “woowoo” side of the study of our skies, this event is said to have ushered in some of the most amazing times in modern history including The Renaissance (1526), The Age of Reason (1639), The Age of Enlightenment (1769) and the Age of Imperialism (1882).
With the globe on the precipice of what many are called a global financial meltdown, it is an interesting issue to ponder – what’s next for us after this transition? Are we going to enter into a new age too?
Either way, since school is out, use this event as a reason to give your kid a lesson in astronomy today. It’s a little summer school for them!
