This coming Tuesday we will have the opportunity to view a astronomical phenomenon - Venus will pass in front of the sun, and with proper precautions
we can view it.
It will be something like another 121 years before we can see this again and we'll all be so old as to probably not notice.
In 1769 scientists made the difficult journey to Lower California to view this event.
There are numerous websites highlighting this event.
attached is one with some of the historic significance to Baja friends.
Number 46 of the 51 volume Baja California Travel Series by Glen Dawson is devoted to this topic. This particular book rarely surfaces on the used
book market.
from the Griffith Observatory site
John
[Edited on 6-3-2012 by John M]David K - 6-3-2012 at 09:18 AM
Quite a journey back then!
Just a small part of what the link has that John M posted:
You have to respect Jean Baptiste Chappe d’Auteroche and his party that went to Baja California to observe the 1769 transit of Venus. Imagine the
travails of their multi-leg journey:
•11 weeks of tedium at sea, tossed from France to Mexico in a frail boat that was “the sport of the smallest wave;”
•7 weeks traversing Mexico on “sorry mules, and in bad weather and detestable roads;”
•4 weeks trying to get across the Sea of Cortez in “so little wind, and that little was so often interrupted with calms…we then began to despair of
getting to California in time for the observation, which would have been a most cruel disappointment.”
Eventually they reached the Baja peninsula near the Tropic of Cancer with only two weeks to spare. Chappe chose the challenging option to land in the
surf at San Jose del Cabo rather than risk further delays trying to sail to a more genteel beach. Better to “lose a poor little pitiful vessel, than
the fruits of so important an expedition as ours…Besides, we were not the first that had landed at the Mission of San-Joseph.” Indeed, a mission had
been established there in 1730 by Jesuit priests Sebastian Sisneaga and later Nicolas Tamaral.
[Edited on 6-3-2012 by David K]astrobaja - 6-5-2012 at 09:55 AM
"BUMP"
reminder: its happening today! Starts 3:06 PDT !! Use no. 14 welders glasses!
Theres an event being held by the university in Ensenada:
I will be here with my 20X90 binocs with special solar filters, some of the park staff are coming down and we have a guest here enjoying the event
too!
Next transit with be in 2117 astrobaja - 6-5-2012 at 10:27 AM
The San Diego astro assoc. also has stuff planned so the public can see the event. 2 locations "Public viewing will be available through our
volunteers' telescopes at two locations for this event. Sycamore Canyon Open Space Preserve, 1/2 mile south of Scripps Poway Parkway on Hwy 67 and at
our observing site at Tierra del Sol.
Thanks astrobaja! I wish I could check it out but I don't have welding glasses. I'll check that link! Crazy to think its happening right now, and
won't happen again till 2117!!!woody with a view - 6-5-2012 at 03:39 PM
if you want to see it over in this lifetime download Stellarium the free star gazing software....
Live on-line
John M - 6-5-2012 at 04:34 PM
There are a number of live feeds on the internet as I write this.
Originally posted by ateo
Thanks astrobaja! I wish I could check it out but I don't have welding glasses. I'll check that link! Crazy to think its happening right now, and
won't happen again till 2117!!!
Bet you have a welding supply store within five miles
The glass is just a couple of bucks
it is about 2" x 4", easy to use
If they are out of 14, you can use 13 with sunglasses
also, you can combine two #7,
combine a #6 and #8, etc
just need to add up to 13 or 14
you still have time
and then you will be set for the total eclipse in 2017, just don't lose the glass
HAPPENING NOW!
David K - 6-5-2012 at 07:30 PM
I was happy to be able to take some photos by holding my camera up to my telescope (scope has a sun filter)!
This was about 7:00 pm PDT in Oceanside...
I have had this telescope for 44 years, so it is a bit dusty, but good enough for this rare view!astrobaja - 6-5-2012 at 07:42 PM
that last ones really great David congrats! Caught a bunch of the sunspots too which were more greyish compared to the inky black of Venus!!
cheers
MikeDavid K - 6-5-2012 at 08:04 PM
Thanks Mike... I know it is übber low quality, but hey, it was fun trying to photograph it, and I was happy it worked!
