[News] Really? Nothing? Nobody? (Venus)

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redthirtyone

redthirtyone

No mention from anybody of yesterday's celestial event?

venus.jpg


I am disappoint....

At any rate, we are now in countdown at a little over 5 years until a total solar eclipse will be visible in North America. In fact, there is a small area near St Louis that will be able to see TWO total solar eclipses in a 7 year span (21 Aug, 2017 & 08 Apr, 2024), a fact that I find remarkable.

A fine resource for both solar & lunar eclipses: http://astro.ukho.gov.uk/eclipse/

Edit: NM - I notice a few comments at the tail end of the Whine like a baby thread... still inadequate.
 
strawman

strawman

The clouds here had gaps big enough to attempt a viewing, but I didn't have the proper equipment, and only a very well made pinhole would have sufficed for this event, which I attempted but was not successful in doing.

But I did watch portions of it online.

There's a little black spot on the sun today...
 
S

Soliloquy

I saw it live at the planetarium in Vegas. Clouds are never a problem here.

It was pretty awesome.

EDIT: Also, what Allen said.
 
North_Ranger

North_Ranger

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Read an article about it due to its historical significance. Did you know one of the reasons Captain Cook went exploring was to get scientists in place in the Pacific Ocean to observe the event? It was a major international scientific endeavour, with scientists located in diverse locations throughout the world so that they could all take measurements. It was so they could use the data to calculate the Earth's distance from the sun.

If memory serves, their calculations were only off by a few hundred miles. And this was in the 18th century!
 
North_Ranger

North_Ranger

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PatrThom said:
You've heard of Eratosthenes, right?

--Patrick
Click to expand...
Without clicking the link, wasn't he the ancient Greek astronomer who calculated the diameter of the Earth? By studying how much longer the shadow cast by the noon sun was in Alexandria than in a city up the River Nile, and knowing how far apart the two cities were?

EDIT: Oh yes, that guy :) "Circumference", not "diameter", though...
 
WasabiPoptart

WasabiPoptart

It was mostly cloudy here on Oahu, too. I tried making a simple pinhole viewer during one of the sunny periods, but the breeze kept blowing my paper around. Also I don't know if there is a solar filter for our telescope and it's not easy to ask my husband if we have one or where it is.
 
S

Soliloquy

North_Ranger said:
Without clicking the link, wasn't he the ancient Greek astronomer who calculated the diameter of the Earth? By studying how much longer the shadow cast by the noon sun was in Alexandria than in a city up the River Nile, and knowing how far apart the two cities were?

EDIT: Oh yes, that guy :) "Circumference", not "diameter", though...
Click to expand...
Man, if only there were some sort of way he could have calculated the diameter of an object by using its circumference. :troll:
 
CynicismKills

CynicismKills

Overcast and rainy here all day yesterday, so I had to settle for pictures. Japan's Hinode satellite snapped an amazing photo also.

 
Dei

Dei

Here's the best pic I could get. Not as awesome as the ones done by planetariums though. :p My dad and I were actually on the phone back and forth starting at the start time going "Can you see anything yet? Do you see it?!"

venustransit2.jpg
 
Cajungal

Cajungal

Staff member
I didn't get to see it. :( BUT one of my most exceptional science students sent me an email with pictures! I'm so glad I get to teach her for another year. :)
 
Jay

Jay

A solar eclipse went on while I was getting married in Vegas. Man was it bright... we were at the Welcome to Vegas sign.

It rained yesterday.... boo
 
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