A transit is the observed passage of Mercury or Venus across the disk of the sun. While ‘transiting’, the planet would appear as a black spot.
The word “transit” means passage or movement — in this case, across the face of the sun.
| Eclipse, when two objects of
comparable sizes block each other, occultation, when a body with greater
angular size blocks an object with smaller angular size and transits,
when an object with lesser angular size come in between the observer and
an object with greater angular size are some of the celestial wonders
that naturally occur due to movements of the celestial bodies.
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One such cosmic event, the Venus Transit-
passing of Venus in front of Sun’s disk will take place on the coming 06
June 2012. The transit of Venus occurs in pairs with one that took
place on 08 June 2004. The next pair of transit of Venus will occur in
2117 and 2125, making it truly once in life time opportunity.
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The first recorded observation of the transit
of Venus was done by the British Priest, Jeremiah Horrocks, in 1639.
Jeremiah Horrocks was the first who used his observations to measure the
Earth to Sun distance, called the Astronomical Unit (AU). The upcoming
Transit of Venus- 06 June 2012 will be a life time opportunity for
everyone on the Earth. In India, on 06 June 2012, transit will commence
well before sun rises and one can observe the phenomena on Sun’s
projected image or through approved solar filters supplied by authorised
agencies from morning hours to mid morning.
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