See Venus Pass In Front of the sun on June 5th at the Widener Observatory
Free Open House From 6:15-8:15 p.m.to View this Rare Event
The Widener University Observatory invites the public to attend a free open house on Tuesday, June 5 from 6:15 – 8:15 p.m. to view the planet Venus as it transits across the face of the sun. The transit of Venus – when the planet passes directly between the earth and the sun – is a rare event that occurs in pairs that are eight years apart, followed alternately by spans of 121 ½ years and105 ½ years. The last transit of Venus occurred June 8, 2004. The upcoming transit of Venus on June 5 will be the last time in the 21st century such an event will occur.
Visitors may come at any time during the two-hour open house period to view the transit using the Widener Observatory’s main 16-inch telescope equipped with a special solar filter to see Venus as a black dot silhouetted against the face of the sun.
Admission is free, and all are welcome. In the event of cloudy skies or rain, there will be live streaming in the observatory classroom. For directions to Widener University, go to http://www.widener.edu/stargazing, and click on the “Directions to Observatory” link. Those without Internet access should call 610-499-4003 for more information.
The Widener University Observatory is located on the 5th floor of Kirkbride Hall on 17th and Walnut streets in Chester, Pa.
