Venus transit 8th June 2004

Venus transit 8th June 2004

Pictures: Teus Luijendijk

Venus was visible from Earth during a rare transit passing the sun on 8th June, 2004. These transits occur in pairs with an eight year interval, so the next one will be in 2012. After that, one will have to wait a little longer, as the next opportunities will be in 2117 and 2125.
The pictures shown below were taken using a Canon Powershot G2 and a Kowa TSN-824 refractor telescope with a 50x eyepiece. A self-made solar filter was used on the objective side of the telescope.
Quite spectacular was the sight of the Venus atmosphere, transferring the sun light along the side that had not yet covered the solar disc, just before reaching the first internal contact of the 2 discs. Also, the so-called gutta nigra, the effect that the Venus disc 'takes along' a bit of the black from outside the solar disc just after first internal contact, could be seen, although the edge of the solar disc always seems to shiver a wee bit, hampering a good judgement of this.

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