Venus Transit

hi everyone,

just doing a quick cast around to see where people are planning to watch the transit of Venus on 2004 June 8?

with Irish weather being the way it is I guess many observers will head for somewhere in the Med. to see the event. I was thinking of Crete as it's an interesting island and skies should be clear. Others are talking of Turkey -- using the visit to suss out sites for the 2006 total solar eclipse.

the Canaries miss out on the transit btw.

however, over the weekend I was thinking why not go for a return trip to Zimbabwe or somewhere south of the Equator? It might be a little more expensive but just think of those views of the southern skies with the Galactic Centre overhead!!! A week or two in Africa with clear skies would really tempt people to venture there during June? Any thoughts? Apart from the flight, the day-to-day expenses would be minimal (based on how little spending money we used in 2001 in Zim)

John F.
South Dublin Astro. Soc.

I might - maybe - go to Uganda to see my parents. They'll be in Masaka doing aid work.

And Masaka is about 30 miles above the equator. So I might do that - if I can afford it - I intend to be investing in some scopes (more on that in the equipment forum later!)

A week or two in Africa sounds good, depending on cost...

you organising?

Cheers,
~Al

hi Al,

I was looking at www.southafricadeals.com and they have some very good fly-drive deals to Jo'burg from England (STG£589). The price includes hire of a car for three days though anyone travelling would more than likely upgrade to a people carrier at STG£22 per day extra for the car (say, four people). That'd be a good deal.

however, one of the big things for the South Africa trip would be a chance to see the southern sky and the Moon is going to interfere a bit with night time observing around the time of the transit.

I was looking at doing a trip in April instead specifically for observing.

that would be based on going out on 17th April and coming back on the 24th. It would also allow us see the partial eclipse of the Sun on the 19th of April.

the above price is based on flying to Jo'burg though Cape Town is an option. Not sure what the weather is like in late-April though it is near the end of the wet season. I'll check on that. The beauty of doing a trip late-Spring is the visibility of the winter constellations, Magellanic Clouds, then the Summer groups and the Milky Way later in the night. June is not the best time see the LMC and SMC as they are low enough during the hours of darkness.

lots of possibilities!

check out this link too . . .

www.transit-of-venus.org.uk/conference3/announcements.html


John

A week or two in Africa sounds good, depending on cost...

you organising?

Cheers,
~Al

Heh. I don't think my parents would be too cool with the idea of us landing in on them! Seriously, it's a total dump where I'll be going...but I have seen tours to South Africa for the transit, I'd say to try those. Cape Town is pretty cool...

wierd.... I posted that after reading Johnf's suggestion about Africa... dam time on this site!

Cheers,
~Al