Venus to 'Eclipse' the Sun
Posted on: Tuesday, 8 June 2004, 06:00 CDT
IT is an event so rare that no living person has ever witnessed it - yet you can not look directly at it.
The planet Venus crosses the face of the sun today.
The last time it happened was in 1882 when astronomers believed the planet was covered in swamp and jungles.
And the last time the event was visible from Ireland was in 1283 - long before the invention of telescopes it went unseen. The transit is like a solar eclipse, except that it is the planet Venus not the moon that passes between the Earth and the sun.
Venus will cut diagonally left-to-right across the bottom of the sun at 6.19am.
It will appear as a small black disc. The spectacle, which lasts for six hours, can be seen - but only with the right equipment and a clear sky.
Looking at the sun with the naked eye, or through a telescope or binoculars, can result in blindness.
The next transit will not take place until June 6, 2012, but will be hidden from Ireland meaning we will have to wait until 2247 for another chance to witness it.
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