Watch Venus transit with astronomy club
On June 5, as Venus passes between Earth and the sun for the last time this century, members of the Big Sky Astronomy Club will make their telescopes available for the public.
At 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at Flathead Valley Community College, club president Mark Paulson will give a presentation on the significance of this celestial event and what to expect.
Afterwards, anyone can safely view the transit of Venus through telescopes that have special solar filters in place. Venus will be seen as a small dark circle against the bright backdrop of the sun.
The transit begins at 4:05 p.m. and will be in progress as the sun sets at 9:35 p.m.
People are reminded never to look directly at the sun, especially with unfiltered binoculars or telescopes. Even a brief glimpse can cause permanent blindness.
The best method for viewing the transit is through telescopes equipped with solar filters, since the telescope will magnify the image and the filter will prevent eye damage. Other options for safely viewing the transit include pinhole projectors, specially made filters, or watching on TV or online.
Following closely on the heels of the “Ring of Fire” solar eclipse, the Venus transit promises something much more rare — a precise alignment of the sun, the Earth, and another planet. Venus transits usually occur in pairs that are separated by more than 100 years. The upcoming transit had a partner event in 2004, with previous events occurring in 1874 and 1882.
The next Venus transit is not until 2117.
The Big Sky Astronomy Club offers other opportunities for viewing the night sky through telescopes. The club is hosting events at Lone Pine State Park on July 14 and Logan Pass in Glacier National Park on July 20 and Aug. 17.
More information about the astronomy club and the transit can be found at www.bigskyastroclub.org or www.transitofvenus.org.
Questions about the transit or any club activities can be directed to Mark Paulson (406-250-4574 or mhpaulson@gmail.com) or Eric Hilton (406-823-0841 or ericjhilton@gmail.com)
Astronomers in early days took advantage of unusual events such as the Venus transit to measure the size of the solar system. Governments mounted large expeditions to send researchers all over the world to make precise observations of the time when the transit started.
Although modern astronomers know the distances to solar system objects quite well, a group called Astronomers Without Borders is calling on anyone with a smart phone to help them repeat the historic measurements. Their free app (available for both iPhone and Android) will enable observers from all over the world to participate.