Hey guys, just a heads up. Venus is due to cross in front of the Sun tomorrow starting at approx 8:30am. This is something that wont happen again for another 105 years. So probably not in your lifetime... or your kids either.

http://www.transitofvenus.com.au/HOME.html

The SSSI (Surveying & Spatial Sciences Institute) has donated a whole heap (I think ~ 250) Solar Scops to schools accross Australia with Surveyors going in to help a few students set them up and see the transit. Which is somethign my Boss here has been organising the QLD Surveyors for.

I'll be setting up my Survey gear (with a Solar filter so I don't burn my eyes out) to catch it. I know there are/were a few Space/Telescope people here before, anyone else have plans to see it?

Just look up bro

and go blind

not if you're wearing solar eclipse glasses.

I've got a 10stop ND filter so hoping to try and get photo of it around lunch time.

Here's a better historical view of the event: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2004/28may_cook/ based on actual history and science

Can't see it via projection from telescope onto paper yet, but can see stupendously good pics here:

http://venustransit.gsfc.nasa.gov/

that website must be getting dominated. it barely loads.
and the stream wont even load up. disappointing as i cant just walk outside and take a peak lol

andrewus, there is a stream at uq http://www.smp.uq.edu.au/transit-of-venus

okay seen it, not very entertaining but I can say that I was involved lol.

You sure that's not just a bit of crap on the lens?

My contribution, via 30+ year-old 55mm USSR-era refractor projecting onto a piece of paper and photo taken with my phone:

Telstra cut a cable and has ruined NASA's live stream from Alice Springs, which was supposed to be the best position to see it.
http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/eyeing-off-venus-can-be-sight-for-sore-eyes/story-e6frfq80-1226385418586

Image from NASA

are those other dark spots, sun spots?

Yep! Makes me want to invest in some solar astro gear to capture and/or track sunspots and prominences in more detail.

Makes you appreciate just how insanely bright the sun is.

I took a photo (only 55mm lens) at ISO 100, f/22, 1/8000th with about 3.3 stops of filters on and it was still a white ball in the sky.

I worked out that exposure to be about a million times less than an average tungsten bulb.

last edited by 3dee at 13:39:43 06/Jun/12

2 more from work people;

I think the transit was finishing a bit after 2.30pm.

damn, well at least I didn't miss out entirely then.

image from Nasa is hax!

Thats an awesome shot.