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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Venus Transit 06/08/04

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Sea Trac
Master Marine Consultant

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Vanuatu
1357 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/21/2004 : 20:32:13

17 days and [url="http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/sunearthday/2004/index_vthome.htm"]counting[/url] until [url="http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap040521.html"]Venus[/url] transits the Sun!

J.B. Manley s/v Sea Trac Allied Seawind II #65
DPO s/v Antares Catalina 25 #4849
Association Treasurer 2002 - 2006
Association Bookkeeper 2002 - 2008
Association Quartermaster 2004 - 2008

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John G-
Admiral

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793 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2004 : 21:42:37

I read about this and it sounds interesting. Is there a safe way to view it?

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2004 : 22:39:05

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by John G-
 
Is there a safe way to view it?
 
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
No. But you can "view" Brood X of 17-year periodic cicadas--if you don't have them in your area, call me at a couple of weeks from now and I'll let you listen to them over the phone--you may need to hold the receiver away from your ear! I consider them a much more interesting phenonenon than the intersection of two celestial objects. How do they wait for 17 years and all appear together?? The evolutionary strategy is pure genious--you wait so long that no predator can survive if they depend on you, and then you appear in such massive numbers that you overwhelm what any predators can deal with. To me, that's cool! Ask me again in a few weeks how cool it is.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2004 : 23:00:32

"How do they wait for 17 years and all appear together?? "

Maybe they were really waiting for the transit of Venus... it's a sign.

Instead of billions of Cicada'a appearing, they will morph into one colossal creature and destroy Tokyo. (Yes, I watched the original Godzilla on TV last night)

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2004 : 23:15:57

And what area(s) can look forward to a front row seat for this show?

Oscar, still in the schoolhouse....

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Sea Trac
Master Marine Consultant

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Vanuatu
1357 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2004 : 23:44:06

The sun can be viewed through the fully shaded lenses of a sextant, or through about ten layers of undeveloped (read: wasted) 35mm film negatives. [Check on the internet for the exact number of layers that is considered safe.] I watched the full progression of a 3/4 solar eclipse through film negatives once, and it was very cool!

If I remember correctly, North America will have a good view of the Venus transit show.

I agree, Dave, the 17 year Cicada phenom is more theologically/evolutionarially intriguing, but I was going for a sailing related bent here. ;-)

Edited by - Sea Trac on 05/21/2004 23:44:46

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2004 : 08:56:47

J.B. How about the cardboard box with the pin hole trick?

And Dave, which areas are going to enjoy the entomological event?

Oscar, one more day in the schoolhouse......

Edited by - Oscar on 05/22/2004 08:58:50

Sea Trac
Master Marine Consultant

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Vanuatu
1357 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2004 : 09:27:12

Yeah, Oscar, the other, safer, method is to view a reverse image reflection with the cardboard box with the pin hole trick. Just discovered that North American viewing won't be so good (only eastern states), and mostly non-existent from the Mississippi River west; including Tulsa. :-{

Regarding the Cicadas, aren't they going to be where they normally are, only in a much greater mass than usual?

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triley
Captain

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USA
251 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2004 : 05:15:03

No cicadas here and no transit of venus. Good luck to you guys in the east. If I remember right, Captain Cook first made his name with the Royal Society after reporting on the Transit of Mercury from Belle Isle or someplece like that. It led to an interesting career that included taking Joseph banks to "Otahiti" to view the teransit of Venus.

After viewing the Transit, though, I would warn you about that little vacation in Hawaii that you were always planning.

tom

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John Mason
Admiral

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USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2004 : 16:11:46

Another way to view the Sun is with an arc-welding visor set on 12 or 13, not the gas welding goggles though.

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