The last transit of Venus in your lifetime will happen on Tuesday, June 5 (here in Seattle). Come to Solstice Park and share the experience. NEVER, EVER, EVER look directly at the Sun. Even when there is something cool to see. You risk damaging your eyes. To find safe ways to observe please visit this website. Sunglasses are not enough. Build a pinhole projector instead.

• When: Tuesday June 5, 2012 at 3:06pm to 9:03pm
• Where: Solstice Park – all the way up the hill from the tennis courts (or, if you’re not in Seattle, wherever you have a view of the Sun! Go to this website to find the times for your location.)
• Who: Everyone welcome, as usual.

What is it?

The transit of Venus is when Venus passes in front of the Sun from the point of view of the Earth. In some ways it is like an eclipse, but since Venus is so far away it will look like a small dark dot on the face of the Sun.

Visibility from Seattle
Start: 3:06pm
Max: 6:27pm
SUNSET: 9:03pm (You can’t see the rest)

If you’re interested – here’s the timing of various celestial events on Saturday from Seattle, courtesy of the U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department:

Sun and Moon Data for One Day

The following information is provided for Seattle, King County, Washington (longitude W122.3, latitude N47.6):

Tuesday 5 June 2012 Pacific Daylight Time

SUN
Begin civil twilight 4:33 a.m.
Sunrise 5:13 a.m.
Sun transit 1:08 p.m.
Sunset 9:03 p.m.
End civil twilight 9:43 p.m.

MOON
Moonrise 9:36 p.m. on preceding day
Moon transit 2:03 a.m.
Moonset 6:33 a.m.
Moonrise 10:28 p.m.
Moonset 7:45 a.m. on following day

Phase of the Moon on 5 June: waning gibbous with 97% of the Moon’s visible disk illuminated.

Full Moon on 4 June 2012 at 4:12 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

This event is my part of the NASA’s Solar System Ambassador program, and thanks to West Seattle Blog for publicizing the last few!

Everyone is welcome!

~ A l i c e !

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