The Transit of Venus on the Sun - June 8, 2004

 

What is the Transit of Venus?

    How and when this astronomical phenomenon happens

Why is the Transit of Venus so interesting?

    Why astronomers were so interested in studying this phenomenon

Searching for the most accurate value of Earth-Sun distance

    The adventurous journeys of astronomer scouts: Pingré, Chappe, Le Gentil, Cook

The Bologna Astronomical Observatory and the Transit of Venus

    The first observations in 1761 and the Bologna Observatory telescope in India in 1874

The forthcoming Transit of Venus

    The 2004 Transit will be visible from Italy

Helpful suggestions for observing the Transit of Venus

    Protect your eyes!!

Bibliography

    Bibliographic references and useful links

F. Bònoli, G. Parmeggiani & F. Poppi


Useful links
  Progetto scienza per tutti (Archivio storico del Dip. di Astronomia Bologna)
  Guido Horn d'Arturo and the "black drop"
  Transit of Venus: New Views of the Solar System and Galaxy (University of Central Lancashire)
  Passage de Vénus devant le Soleil (Institut de mécanique céleste et de calcul des éphémérides)
  Transit of Venus, 2004 (U.S. Naval Observatory, The Astronomical Almanac)
  Planetary transits across the sun (NASA)