[General] Transit of Venus TOMORROW

[Satyam Nayak]

Thanks John! I was about to ask the same questions.

I think I have xray film lying around somewhere!

On Mon, Jun 4, 2012 at 3:06 PM, Joshua Pritt <ramgarden at gmail.com> wrote:

> I LOL'ed @ " extremely specific and unambiguous terms "
>
> On Mon, Jun 4, 2012 at 2:53 PM, John Kelly <candleknight at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> HEY EVERYBODY!
>>
>> This is your friendly neighborhood mad scientist, just trying to get the
>> word out in case you haven't heard:
>> there is a *Solar Transit of Venus* tomorrow afternoon, from about 5pm
>> (Central Time) until sunset.
>>
>> A solar transit is when an object (in this case Venus) crosses between
>> the earth and the sun. It's like a solar eclipse, but with a *whole
>> other freakin' planet!*
>> Get your butts outside and see it, 'cause the next Venus transit won't be
>> until *2117*!
>> Holy once in a lifetime event, Batman!
>>
>> http://www.transitofvenus.org/
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transit_of_Venus,_2012
>>
>>
>> If you're in or near the Huntsville area "*the Von Braun Astronomical
>> Society, will host a free public viewing for the Transit of Venus, on June
>> 5, 2012 from 4:30-8 p.m. outside the Davidson Center for Space Exploration
>> *"
>> http://www.rocketcenter.com/mu/calendar/051112/transit-venus
>> They should have all the equipment and whatnot that we'll need to view it
>> there, as well as people who actually know what they are talking about, and
>> an "*astronomy-themed activity for children starting at 5:30 p.m*"
>>
>>
>> If you aren't in Huntsville, then you can still easily view the transit
>> in several ways:
>> ♦Google "Venus Transit <your area>" and find your own local astronomical
>> society.
>> ♦Build a pinhole camera.
>>     -It takes about 137 seconds to make, and will run you roughly $0.23
>> to $0.27 cents to make.
>> ♦Use a welding helmet and/or lens to look directly at the sun.
>>     -If you don't have a welding helmet, you can go to Lowes, Home Depot,
>> etc. and buy just the lens for around $5 - $10.
>>     -You need to use at least a shade #14 or higher lens
>>     -*Do not* use sunglasses, polaroid filters, smoked glass, exposed
>> color film, x-ray film, photographic neutral density filters, etc.  Just
>> because a filter makes the sun look dim for visible light does *not*mean that it's blocking the invisible infrared or ultraviolet radiation
>> that can burn the ever-lovin' bajeezes out of your eyes quicker than you
>> can say   "OH GOD! MY EYES!!! WHY?!? WHY didn't I listen to John when he
>> told me not to do that very stupid thing which I just did despite the fact
>> that he told me not to in extremely specific and unambiguous terms!?!
>> WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!?".
>>
>> ♦More info on safe viewing and additional methods at:
>>     http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/how.html
>>     http://www.transitofvenus.org/june2012/eye-safety
>>
>>
>> Also, there's this:
>> *"Transit not visible from your location, or clouds interfering?  Watch
>> the live webcast <http://sunearthday.nasa.gov/2012/transit/webcast.php>from atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii, with expert commentary brought to you by the
>> fun team at NASA EDGE.  Don't miss the 2012 transit of Venus!*"
>>
>>
>> Observations of Venusian Solar transits were one of the earliest methods
>> scientists used when they were originally trying to figure out the size of
>> our solar system way back in the 1700's, so this should be pretty cool!
>> Personally, I'm super excited, and I hope y'all are too!
>>
>> HAVE FUN!!!
>> -John "that guy who tells your kids it's OK to stare at the sun" Kelly
>>
>>
>>
>>
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