Hello Fellow StarGazers!
Just a reminder that today- June 5th -Venus will be transiting (crossing in front of) the sun. This only occurs in 8 year pairs every 110 years or so. The last one was in 2004, the next one won't be until 2117!
There is an EXCELLENT video and article at LATIMES.COM that explains what is happening and how scientists used the transit of Venus back when Captain James Cook was sailing to Tahiti (the last time it happened prior to 2004) to measure it for purposes of determining the distance from the Earth to the Sun.
The article also tells how you can view it safely. In Arkansas it is visible starting around 5 p.m.
http://www.latimes.com/news/
Astronomy is looking up! (but not directly up....at the sun, that is).
Have a great weekend! Oh, what to wear to the transit.....
