Important events and Venus passage

1
Important events and Venus passage

I have been reading the Norwegain astronomical website of astronomer Knut J?rgen R?ed ?degaard, www.bangirommet.no (Bang-in-Space), which is rather interesting in terms of current and upcoming astronomical events. Besides, Knut J?rgen does a lot to create an enthusiasm for astronomy in Norway. One of the upcoming events will be the total eclipse of the Sun visable from Spitzbergen on March 20. 2015. Anyone want to come?
Image
But this year, on June 6. 2012, there will be the Venus transit of the Sun, which is actually best visable from Arctic Norway. The transit starts at 00.04 CST, so if the weather is clear spectators will be observing the Midnight Sun at the same time.
Image
Astronomer Knut Jorgen R?ed ?degaard actually made a point of proposing to his wife at a public gathering during the Venus pasage of 2004. He mentions some interesting things about the history of the Venus passage that prior to 2004 last was visable from Norway in 1769. He say that at this time Australia and New Zealand were being explored, the first international research project became a fact, Norway was put on the map and the rules for War seem to have been laid down at this time. :shock: :'

Source: Bang-in-Space
http://www.astronor.com

2
Venus is retrograde in Gemini for the 6th of June.

For us on the Pacific Coast of the US it will be the 21st when the eclipse occurs,(and not visible, darn) though you may notice that there is a lovely Kite formed by the moon the day before when it opposes Mars. so thoughts? this occurs on the Aries point? and Mercury and Uranus are darn close, thoughts?

anyway just mumbling...

G

3
The transit of Venus across the front of the Solar disc will only occur during the planet's inferior conjunction at which time its motion will always be retrograde. If the inferior is retrograde you always know that it is in that part of its orbit that brings it closest to Earth and that it is overtaking us on the inside. This is when Mercury and Venus appear at their largest as when seen from Earth. Their crescent expands and gets quite spectacular in a telescope but the problem is that the closer they get to Earth, the more they turn their dark side toward us. Due to the closeness to the Sun, visability becomes become increasingly poor and the planets become ever so obscure.

During the transits of Mercury and Venus across the Solar disc can only occur when the conjunction happens close to the planetary node of that planet and are ever so rare. The full size of the inferior planets when closest to Earth can be observed at that time - but only by their shadow.

The inferior planets may perform both inferior or superior conjunctions with the Sun. During their superior conjuction they appear on the opposite sign of the Sun in the same way as the superior planets, hence the name, and they will be in that portion of their orbit that brings them furthest away from Earth. One of the things you will notice is that the inferior conjunctions are swift and the transit of the solar disc will be over in the matter of hours, minutes or even seconds as the inner planet appears in a direct line between ourselves and the Sun. The superior conjuncts take longer time and we chould probably take more notice to those passages, that are more frequent, where the Sun occults these planets and they are truly in the 'Heart of the Sun' and Cazimi.

The Moon will also perform a inferior conjunction with the Sun, but not a superior. During her conjunction with the Sun she will appear with the inferior planets but she will be direct of motion while the inferior planets at their inferior conjunction will be retrograde. At her opposition to the Sun she will appear with the superior planets. The Moon will be direct of motion, as always - although she may be either swift or slow, but the superior planets at the time of their opposition to the Sun will always be retrograde.
http://www.astronor.com