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| Transit of Venus – live coverage | Transit of Venus – live coverage |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 6.44pm: We have just spoken with Jason Kendall, who heads up Nasa's Solar System Ambassador Program in New York City. | |
| Jason is hosting an event in Riverside Park to watch the transit – and it has drawn almost a thousand attendees. | |
| Contacted by phone at the event, Kendall yells "What did we just see five minutes ago?" and raises his phone to the crowd. | |
| "Venus!!" a wave of exuberant yells comes back. | |
| "Almost 900 people are here on the pier," said Kendall. "We've been able to see it, despite the clouds. We saw second contact and now it's getting across. We've handed out a couple hundred sunglasses, and people are having a great time watching it, and it's a great succses here in NYC!" | |
| Kendall said the sun was lowering toward the Hudson but there were still a good two hours of viewing time left. | |
| "We're kind of fortunate that we have clouds, because we're at capacity here," Kendall said. "I think the clouds discouraged some people." | |
| "They're having fun when they see it, it's very exciting when it comes out. It's officially a happening here in New York City!" | |
| 6.32pm: The Nasa scientists viewing Venus as the planet passes fully onto the face of the sun are very thrilled. | |
| The tiny disc of Venus is crossing onto the sun in the 8 o'clock position. You may be seeing images that make Venus look like it's entering the sun at around 2 o'clock; that is because depending on the type of telescope, the images you see will be reversed and sometimes flipped left to right. | |
| For those observers viewing the phenomenon directly, the planet appears to be crossing the sun from the lower left. | |
| 6.21pm: We have posted a new video feed of the transit at the top of the blog. Let us know if it's working. At 22:19:50 it looks like this: | |
| Meanwhile keep an eye on that Nasa feed here. | |
| 6.13pm: Plenty of interest here on Earth in the transit of Venus, apparently; the Nasa live webcast has seemingly crashed from more than 100,000 users trying to access it at once. | |
| (Shouldn't Nasa be built to handle serious web traffic?) | |
| We're preparing links to other live streams. Meanwhile: | |
| First contact at #VenusTransit will happen soon. Latest image from the Solar Dynamics Observatory yfrog.com/esjr3wqj | |
| — Ever Lazz (@Everlazz) June 5, 2012 | |
| 6.07pm: Some viewers appear to be having trouble accessing the Nasa site. | 6.07pm: Some viewers appear to be having trouble accessing the Nasa site. |
| You can see the transit via the SLOOH space camera here. | You can see the transit via the SLOOH space camera here. |
| 6.03pm: There it is! (There it is?) | 6.03pm: There it is! (There it is?) |
| Venus touches the sun at 18:03:50 ET (=22.03.50 UT). The ingress interior – when the planet is wholly in front of the sun – happens at 18:21:21. | Venus touches the sun at 18:03:50 ET (=22.03.50 UT). The ingress interior – when the planet is wholly in front of the sun – happens at 18:21:21. |
| The transit center falls at 21:27:27; the egress interior at 24:33:33 and the egress exterior at 24:51:25. | The transit center falls at 21:27:27; the egress interior at 24:33:33 and the egress exterior at 24:51:25. |
| 5.57pm: Cultural output inspired by the transit of Venus is not limited to the composition of marches. | 5.57pm: Cultural output inspired by the transit of Venus is not limited to the composition of marches. |
| In 1880, two years before the second transit of the 19th century, the French painter Edmond Louis Dupain was commissioned to complete a grand allegorical painting of Venus crossing the sun. | In 1880, two years before the second transit of the 19th century, the French painter Edmond Louis Dupain was commissioned to complete a grand allegorical painting of Venus crossing the sun. |
| The painting, completed in 1886, now adorns the ceiling of the western rotunda of the Perrault wing of the Paris Observatory. In the painting the sun is on a chariot surrounded by fog and rosy-cheeked nudes. Venus is naked, wearing a star on her head, attended by doves. | The painting, completed in 1886, now adorns the ceiling of the western rotunda of the Perrault wing of the Paris Observatory. In the painting the sun is on a chariot surrounded by fog and rosy-cheeked nudes. Venus is naked, wearing a star on her head, attended by doves. |
| 5.48pm: Just 15 minutes to go, or so! We've moved the video player to the top of the blog for your viewing pleasure. | 5.48pm: Just 15 minutes to go, or so! We've moved the video player to the top of the blog for your viewing pleasure. |
| John Philip Sousa, the American composer of that most venerable orchestral form – the march – is most famous for "The Washington Post" and "Semper Fidelis." These tunes are so deeply ingrained in the national psyche that studies have shown them to be annoyingly stuck in the head of a full 30 percent of the population at any given time. | John Philip Sousa, the American composer of that most venerable orchestral form – the march – is most famous for "The Washington Post" and "Semper Fidelis." These tunes are so deeply ingrained in the national psyche that studies have shown them to be annoyingly stuck in the head of a full 30 percent of the population at any given time. |
| Sousa was known as "The March King." And you know what calls for a march? A planet marching across the face of the sun. | Sousa was known as "The March King." And you know what calls for a march? A planet marching across the face of the sun. |
| The December 1882 Transit of Venus lasted 6 hours and 18 minutes, according to NASA. | The December 1882 Transit of Venus lasted 6 hours and 18 minutes, according to NASA. |
| The next year, Sousa published his "Transit of Venus" march. It's about two minutes long, depending on your tempo, meaning that it could have been played on repeat approximately 189 times during the 1882 transit. | The next year, Sousa published his "Transit of Venus" march. It's about two minutes long, depending on your tempo, meaning that it could have been played on repeat approximately 189 times during the 1882 transit. |
| Can you imagine hearing this 189 times in a row? | Can you imagine hearing this 189 times in a row? |
| 5.40pm: Andrea Wulf's history of the chase to observe the 18th century transits of Venus begins with an epigraph from Jeremiah Horrocks, the young amateur astronomer who, with his partner William Crabtree, was the only person to see the 1639 transit. | 5.40pm: Andrea Wulf's history of the chase to observe the 18th century transits of Venus begins with an epigraph from Jeremiah Horrocks, the young amateur astronomer who, with his partner William Crabtree, was the only person to see the 1639 transit. |
| Horrocks writes with uncommon eloquence – and a malaise that seems quaint for a scientist – about the transit. | Horrocks writes with uncommon eloquence – and a malaise that seems quaint for a scientist – about the transit. |
| "The planet Venus drawn from her seclusion, modesly delineating on the sun, without disguise, her real magnitude, whilst her disc, at other times SO lovely, is here obscured in melancholy gloom." | "The planet Venus drawn from her seclusion, modesly delineating on the sun, without disguise, her real magnitude, whilst her disc, at other times SO lovely, is here obscured in melancholy gloom." |
| 5.33pm: One-half hour until the transit begins. Just under 15 minutes until the live Nasa webcast from Hawaii begins. Are you ready? | 5.33pm: One-half hour until the transit begins. Just under 15 minutes until the live Nasa webcast from Hawaii begins. Are you ready? |
| Here's the webcast. | Here's the webcast. |
| 5.20pm: About 43 minutes to go now until the transit begins. Time to introduce a towering figure in astronomy in general and in the history of observation of the transit of Venus in particular: Edmond Halley. | 5.20pm: About 43 minutes to go now until the transit begins. Time to introduce a towering figure in astronomy in general and in the history of observation of the transit of Venus in particular: Edmond Halley. |
| Halley is best known to the layperson for having predicted the return of the comet that bears his name. Halley's comet decorates the heavens every 75-76 years (the last time was February 1986; the time before that was April 1910; the next time is July 2061). | Halley is best known to the layperson for having predicted the return of the comet that bears his name. Halley's comet decorates the heavens every 75-76 years (the last time was February 1986; the time before that was April 1910; the next time is July 2061). |
| The historian Andrea Wulf, author of the lovely book "Chasing Venus: The Race to Measure the Heavens," spoke to the Guardian about Halley's role in launching the world expeditions to view the transit – after his death: | The historian Andrea Wulf, author of the lovely book "Chasing Venus: The Race to Measure the Heavens," spoke to the Guardian about Halley's role in launching the world expeditions to view the transit – after his death: |
| IN 1716, almost 50 years before the 1761 transit happens, Halley sits down and he writes an essay, in Latin, because that's the international language of science.. ... and in this essay, he says, 'This is what we have to do. In 1761, you all have to work together.' And he very much emphasizes that all the different European nations should make use of their colonial possessions. The English would send someone out to India, the Dutch to Jakarta. He's using the trading empires to have this idea. | IN 1716, almost 50 years before the 1761 transit happens, Halley sits down and he writes an essay, in Latin, because that's the international language of science.. ... and in this essay, he says, 'This is what we have to do. In 1761, you all have to work together.' And he very much emphasizes that all the different European nations should make use of their colonial possessions. The English would send someone out to India, the Dutch to Jakarta. He's using the trading empires to have this idea. |
| He knows that this can only happen if everybody works together. That's why he writes it in Latin. And what's so visionary about it is he knows that he's not going to see this, unless he would be 104, which he knows he's not going to be. So it's like a call of action for a future generation. | He knows that this can only happen if everybody works together. That's why he writes it in Latin. And what's so visionary about it is he knows that he's not going to see this, unless he would be 104, which he knows he's not going to be. So it's like a call of action for a future generation. |
| You can listen to the full interview with Wulf here. | You can listen to the full interview with Wulf here. |
| 5.05pm: Note to our readers: Scientists believe that the planet Venus has not been live blogged on any of its previous transits. It is unknown whether other activity on Venus or by Venus has previously been subject to blogging elsewhere in the universe not on Earth. Suffice it to say that until we hear differently, and possibly even after we hear differently, we are going to claim the mantle of live blogger pioneers in the realm of cosmic phenomena. | 5.05pm: Note to our readers: Scientists believe that the planet Venus has not been live blogged on any of its previous transits. It is unknown whether other activity on Venus or by Venus has previously been subject to blogging elsewhere in the universe not on Earth. Suffice it to say that until we hear differently, and possibly even after we hear differently, we are going to claim the mantle of live blogger pioneers in the realm of cosmic phenomena. |
| Both Capt. James Cook and the botanist Joseph Banks kept extensive diaries on their 1769 voyage to Tahiti to view the transit, but they forgot to upload them upon their return to London. | Both Capt. James Cook and the botanist Joseph Banks kept extensive diaries on their 1769 voyage to Tahiti to view the transit, but they forgot to upload them upon their return to London. |
| 4.45pm: Transits of Venus occur in pairs. The pairs are separated by alternating chunks of either 121.5 or 105.5 years. The two transits making up a pair are separated by eight years. The current transit is the second of a pair; its counterpart occurred in June 2004. | 4.45pm: Transits of Venus occur in pairs. The pairs are separated by alternating chunks of either 121.5 or 105.5 years. The two transits making up a pair are separated by eight years. The current transit is the second of a pair; its counterpart occurred in June 2004. |
| Guardian science correspondent Ian Sample has assembled a list of questions about the transit, asked and answered. We're not calling them FAQs; with hundred-year chunks of downtime, we just don't think the word "frequently" applies. Here's a bit from Sample's Q&A: | Guardian science correspondent Ian Sample has assembled a list of questions about the transit, asked and answered. We're not calling them FAQs; with hundred-year chunks of downtime, we just don't think the word "frequently" applies. Here's a bit from Sample's Q&A: |
What have scientists used the transit for? | What have scientists used the transit for? |
| In the 18th century astronomers set out to far-flung corners of the globe to time the transit of Venus. Combined, their results gave them the first accurate measurement of the distance between the Earth and the sun, a figure they calculated to be between 93 million and 97 million miles (172-180 million kilometres). Today, the accepted distance is 93 million miles. The result allowed astronomers to calculate the size of the solar system. | In the 18th century astronomers set out to far-flung corners of the globe to time the transit of Venus. Combined, their results gave them the first accurate measurement of the distance between the Earth and the sun, a figure they calculated to be between 93 million and 97 million miles (172-180 million kilometres). Today, the accepted distance is 93 million miles. The result allowed astronomers to calculate the size of the solar system. |
| Read the whole Q&A here. | Read the whole Q&A here. |
| Nasa has produced a video explaining the transit of Venus, embedded below, with this to say about the historical importance of the transit: | Nasa has produced a video explaining the transit of Venus, embedded below, with this to say about the historical importance of the transit: |
| "Astronomer Sir Edmond Halley realized that by observing transits from widely spaced locations on Earth, it should be possible to triangulate the distance to Venus. The idea galvanized scientists, who set off on expeditions around the world to view a pair of transits in the 1760s. The great explorer James Cook himself was dispatched to observe one from Tahiti, a place as alien to 18th-century Europeans as moon or Mars." | "Astronomer Sir Edmond Halley realized that by observing transits from widely spaced locations on Earth, it should be possible to triangulate the distance to Venus. The idea galvanized scientists, who set off on expeditions around the world to view a pair of transits in the 1760s. The great explorer James Cook himself was dispatched to observe one from Tahiti, a place as alien to 18th-century Europeans as moon or Mars." |
| 4.15pm: Hello and welcome to our live blog coverage of the 2012 transit of Venus. We are unduly excited to bring you live updates of the action overhead. As the evening progresses we'll add tidbits of history, snatches of science and scraps of literature in an effort to enhance enjoyment of and do justice to what we are about to see: the last transit of our lifetimes. | 4.15pm: Hello and welcome to our live blog coverage of the 2012 transit of Venus. We are unduly excited to bring you live updates of the action overhead. As the evening progresses we'll add tidbits of history, snatches of science and scraps of literature in an effort to enhance enjoyment of and do justice to what we are about to see: the last transit of our lifetimes. |
| Let's start with the basics: | Let's start with the basics: |
| • What's the transit of Venus? It's Venus crossing the sun, and it is one of the most celebrated spectacles in all of astronomy. That's because a pair of such transits in the late 18th-century allowed astronomers to calculate for the first time how big the solar system is. Also it looks cool. | • What's the transit of Venus? It's Venus crossing the sun, and it is one of the most celebrated spectacles in all of astronomy. That's because a pair of such transits in the late 18th-century allowed astronomers to calculate for the first time how big the solar system is. Also it looks cool. |
| • Can I watch it? Yes. Local viewing times are here. In the eastern US it begins at 6.03pm and ends at 12.51am. Astute readers will note that viewing in the east will necessarily be cut short; the sun is not visible at midnight. True, but thanks to Nasa, you can watch the entire breathtaking transit here. Nasa's live coverage begins at 5.45pm ET. | • Can I watch it? Yes. Local viewing times are here. In the eastern US it begins at 6.03pm and ends at 12.51am. Astute readers will note that viewing in the east will necessarily be cut short; the sun is not visible at midnight. True, but thanks to Nasa, you can watch the entire breathtaking transit here. Nasa's live coverage begins at 5.45pm ET. |
| • Do I need special eye protection to view the transit? If you're old enough to read this live blog (which after dark will feature 19th-century nudes of the goddess Venus), you're old enough to know that the answer to that question is yes. To stare into the sun is to risk grave eye damage without the guarantee of sympathy. Nasa has a guide to safe solar viewing here. | • Do I need special eye protection to view the transit? If you're old enough to read this live blog (which after dark will feature 19th-century nudes of the goddess Venus), you're old enough to know that the answer to that question is yes. To stare into the sun is to risk grave eye damage without the guarantee of sympathy. Nasa has a guide to safe solar viewing here. |
| • A dot on the sun. What's the big deal? Three quick answers: the transit of Venus set in motion one of the greatest quests of all time, a race across the seas to measure the heavens; the transit produced one of the greatest breakthroughs in the history of science; and it won't happen again till 2117, 105 years from now. (The last one occurred in 2004; there were none in all the 20th-century.) Join us! | • A dot on the sun. What's the big deal? Three quick answers: the transit of Venus set in motion one of the greatest quests of all time, a race across the seas to measure the heavens; the transit produced one of the greatest breakthroughs in the history of science; and it won't happen again till 2117, 105 years from now. (The last one occurred in 2004; there were none in all the 20th-century.) Join us! |