http://www.sciops.esa.int/index.php?project=VENUSEXPRESS&page=venus_transit

The transit of Venus – live from the Arctic!

In Europe’s most northerly town of Longyearbyen, teams of scientists are preparing to observe the last transit of Venus of this century using ground-based telescopes.

From ESA’s Space Astronomy Center (ESAC), Michel Breitfellner and Miguel Perez Ayucar – who are normally involved with the science planning of Venus Express – are preparing to observe the transit from the ground using solar and optical telescopes equipped with cameras. An identical set of instruments will be used to make observations from the other side of the world in Canberra, Australia. Live images will be broadcast via ESA’s Venus Transit Monitor.
http://blogs.esa.int/venustransit/

lookingfortruth

(263 posts)

5. thanks

Reply to jakeXT (Reply #2)

Tue Jun 5, 2012, 01:25 PM

Jun 2012

JustABozoOnThisBus

(23,369 posts)

3. I think there's some method of looking at the sun ...

Reply to lookingfortruth (Original post)

Tue Jun 5, 2012, 10:00 AM

Jun 2012

... that involves a cardboard box and a piece of dark paper with a pin hole in it.

"Camera obscura" might be the name for it.

It should project the image of the sun on the inside of the box, and you should be able to see a dark dot that slowly moves across part of the disk.

Aiming a telescope at the sun is best left to professionals. An amateur (like you and me) could fry a retina.

There are probably hundreds of websites that will show the transit live:
http://www.uq.edu.au/news/?article=24813

But a website is not the same as seeing it in your very own cardboard box!

lookingfortruth

(263 posts)

6. Thanks. We've actually used the box thing for solar eclipse I think the Transit is going to be

Reply to JustABozoOnThisBus (Reply #3)

Tue Jun 5, 2012, 01:27 PM

Jun 2012

too small for the human eye.

JustABozoOnThisBus

(23,369 posts)

10. It is not too small for the human eye

Reply to lookingfortruth (Reply #6)

Tue Jun 5, 2012, 02:38 PM

Jun 2012

I saw the one in 2004, looking at the sun through special lenses (filters), but no magnification. Venus was a black dot, clearly visible. It might be something to try while also watching the web sites.