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| Venus Transit on June 8, 2004. Photo: Jeffrey Miller |
The Transit of Venus is quickly approaching, and the window of clear weather is very slim; but that shouldn't stop you from joining the events in Tupper Lake held by the good folks at the Adirondack Public Observatory. This is the last time Venus will cross the face of the sun – from our vantage point of Earth – until 2117, which most likely no one reading this will make it to. If you do I would like to drink from the same fountain you are drinking from!
WPTZ News Channel 5 meteorologist Gib
Brown has been keeping a close eye on the weather for Tuesday, but
it's still too early to make a final decision on whether it will be
an outdoor event, or an indoor event. Final decision will be made by
7:00pm on June 4th. I have also been keeping a close eye
on the weather, though I'm no meteorologist, I'm still at us having a
50% chance of having clear enough skies.
If outdoors the telescopes will be
setup, mine included, at Little Wolf Beach in Tupper Lake, and there will be quite a
few telescopes set up with solar filters to watch Venus as it crosses
the face of the sun. There will even be a couple of Personal Solar
Telescopes, which are built specifically for solar viewing. These
telescopes give amazing views of features on the sun you can't see
with the white light filter like I have. The APO is also going to
provide Eclipse Glasses for viewing the sun with your unaided eye
safely.
If we are clouded out the event will
take place at The Wild Center where there are plenty of activities
planned, some of which for the younger people. Also a live stream of
the transit via NASA. There will also be materials supplied by the
Solar Dynamic Laboratory at the Goddard Space Center. Some of the
materials include posters and cards with various images of the Sun
with sunspots, prominences, flares, etc. There are also DVDs about
the Solar System narrated by Whoopi Goldberg that may be given out as
prizes for some of the games planned. We may even have a chance to
use the STARLAB planetarium at the Wild Center. Indoor plans are
still in the works.
If I receive anymore information about
the event before June 5th I will be sure to post an update
providing you with the information. I'm really hoping we have clear
enough skies for viewing the transit because there is nothing like
viewing it through a telescope with your own eyes.
More info on the events on June 4th and 5th along with locations, directions, and times can be found on this link.
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