Transit of Venus – Facts & Astronomy from the Associated Press

This June 8, 2004 file photo shows the transit of Venus, which occurs when the planet Venus passes between the Earth and the Sun, is pictured in Hong Kong. Venus will cross the face of the sun on Tuesday June 5, 2012, a sight that will be visible from parts of Earth. This is the last transit for more than 100 years.
AP Photo/Vincent Yu,File

VENUS CREATES RARE SKY SHOW
by Alicia Chang – Associated Press
from The Weather Channel

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Note from Michelle: Here’s a good article that lines up some facts and astronomy about today’s Transit of Venus. Easy to read with a bit of history too… and it includes some great videos and fascinating stuff about the Space Shuttle. There is also a link for tips on safely watching the Transit of Venus – DON’T watch it without protecting your eyes!! Please enjoy this AP article on their site by clicking above or below…

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It’s a spectacle that won’t repeat for another century – the sight of Venus slowly inching across the face of the sun.

So unless scientists discover the fountain of youth, none of us alive today will likely ever witness this celestial phenomenon again, dubbed a “transit of Venus.”

It’s so unique that museums and schools around the globe are hosting Venus viewing festivities – all for a chance to see our star sport a fleeting beauty mark. Even astronauts aboard the International Space Station plan to observe the event.

Venus will appear as a small black dot gliding across the disk of the sun. As in a solar eclipse, do not stare directly at the sun; wear special protective glasses.

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