venus transit

[HowardKennitby]

live video here if anyone is interested. Only black & white unfortunately

http://www.guardian.c...f-venus-live-coverage

[humbersloop]

Thanks h, missed that otherwise

[islasmum]

I'm watching it on the NASA website with lots of interesting information there. I don't imagine that we will actually able to see much in the UK - too much cloud cover probably.

http://venustransit.n...ov/webcasts/nasaedge/

[Old_Geezer]

I would have liked to see that but a) had no eclipse screen to look through, and, as per usual, b) looking through the inevitable cloud isn't a talent of mine. (oh and c) I was fast alseep ;-) )

Considering the situation maybe a film of it is the best way to go anyway.

[jomifl]

Too much cloud here but I got a good view last time, by focussing the sun's image onto a white card with one side of a pair of binoculars. It is possibly the simplest and safest way of looking at the sun, plus you can vary the size of the image.

[heathfield]

The Cassini space vehicle is at the orbit of Saturn. Scientists are trying to use spectral data from it to find out if they could perhaps analyse Venus's atmosphere as the planet transits the sun. The constituents of Venus's atmosphere are already known from space probes sent to the planet, but if Cassini can provide useable back-up data, it means that it might be possible to use this method to determine the atmospheres of recently discovered planets orbiting other stars. This could provide a clue to the chances of life being found outside our solar system. Mind-boggling what they can do these days!

http://www.newscienti...enus-from-saturn.html

[chaptazbru]

Wish I knew where to get those 'screens' from you can look directly at the sun with in times of eclipses etc ...

[jomifl]

BBC4 from 7:30 onwards an astronomical evening in!

[heathfield]

Venus is to be 'The Sky at Night' subject next month.