WATCH LIVE! The last Venus transit of the century
June 06, 2012 01:36 IST
On June 6, Venus will pass across the face of the sun, producing a silhouette visible on earth that no one alive today will likely see again.
Transits of Venus are very rare, coming in pairs separated by more than a hundred years.
This June's transit, the bookend of a 2004-2012 pair, won't be repeated until the year 2117. Fortunately, the event is widely visible even from India. Observers on seven continents, even a sliver of Antarctica, will be in position to see it.
The nearly seven-hour transit begins at 6 am Indian Standard Time on June 6.
Watch the celestial wonder LIVE on rediff.com...
Observing tip: Do not stare at the sun. Venus covers too little of the solar disk to block the blinding glare. Many astronomy clubs will have solar telescopes set up to observe the event; contact your local club for details.
