Arcadia High School Physics teacher Brian Devor says their will be an astronomical event at 3 p.m. this Tuesday, June 5, that has nothing to do with the state election.
The silhouette of Venus will show up against the body of the Sun — something that has been seen only seven times in human history and will not happen again for 105 years.
Venus, in its orbit, will “catch up” to us in Earth’s orbit at one of two places where both orbits are essentially coplanar with the Sun, according to Devor. Known as a “transit of Venus,” the event will start a few minutes after 3 p.m. (local time) and last past sunset. Our neighbor planet will pass within one-quarter of a degree of being exactly aligned between the Earth and the sun, so it can be seen (with protective filtering) in silhouette against the sun.
For almost 240 years this event offered the best way to measure the diameter of the Solar System and the universe.
A telescope with sun-safe filters will be available for public viewing at the west end of the Arcadia High School Science Building, upstairs on the landing outside the doors. Join students to view a rare and historically rich astronomic event.
— By Scott Hettrick