I Saw Venus!

This morning I woke up at 4 AM.  It was dreadfully early.  I wanted to make sure John was awake to meet with his astronomy buddies to see Venus in front of the sun, so I made the sacrifice.  I called him up so he could come over and have coffee with me.  The only kind of coffee that could keep us awake that early in the morning was Chocolate Raspberry Truffle.  So he made a pot.  We didn't feel much like eating so we had three slices of cheese each.  Then I thought about it.  I was up anyway.  Why not go see it myself?  "Do you think your astronomy club would mind if I came along?" I asked John.  "I don't see why they would," he answered.  "Why don't you come."  So I fixed my hair, put on my shoes, and we were out the door.

We left for the park about 5:15.  I hadn't realized it was so light that early.  When we got there people were setting up their telescopes.  There were ten scopes in all.  John didn't bring his because you have to have a sun filter over your scope to view this event or you can go blind. 

The sun was completely up around 5:45.  It was a bright orange and pink ball.  Once again I didn't realize how magnificent it looked so early in the morning.  Sunrises are absolutely gorgeous, with the color of the sun being so beautiful, and the surrounding pinks and oranges being so beautiful.  I should get up early more often. 

Right when the sun came up and wasn't so bright yet, I took a look at the sun.  I did something they tell you absolutely not to do.  I looked directly at it.  And I saw Venus!  Yes, my Father is going to read this and I am going to be getting killed.  But I saw Venus!  After about ten more minutes somebody in the astronomy group said that the sun was too bright and told everybody not to look at the sun from that point on with the naked eye no matter what.  Then somebody in the group passed around filter glasses.  They looked like 3D glasses you see in the movie theatre.  They worked a little but not very well.

Then it became time to look through the telescopes.  That was the totally awesome part.  I feel privileged to experience such an awesome event.  It is strange but I used to not care about these astronomy events, but my boyfriend is getting me more interested in them, especially ones that happen rarely.  

The sun was bright pink/orange and near the bottom was a black round circle (Venus).  It was cool!  Nobody there had ever been alive to see it before.  

And there were lots of people there.  About 60.  Not just those from the astronomy club.  I don't know where the people heard about meeting in the park.  There were a lot of people from different cultures too who spoke different languages which I thought was cool.  

I asked John his impression of the transit.  "The one guy from the club warned us it would be as interesting as watching paint dry, but I thought it was exciting."  He also said he is hoping by the year 2012 that he will have his own sun filter so that he can watch the whole thing himself.    

Venus Passes Between Sun and Earth Tomorrow

My boyfriend John is an ameteur astronomer.  He belongs to an astronomy club.  He told me about an event that is happening tomorrow (Tuesday) morning.  On Tuesday, June 8, at dawn will be the transit of Venus.  Venus will pass between the sun and the Earth, enabling most states in the US to see it.  Venus' transit will begin at about 1:13 AM Eastern Time and end about 7:26 AM Eastern Time.  If you are going to watch the event you must employ safe viewing techniques to avoid eye damage.  Never look directly at the sun without proper filters.  Permanent eye damage will occur.  Instead proper telescope filters or protective glasses from astronomy dealers should be used.

The last transit was in 1882.  The next transit will be in 2012.

Tomorrow John plans to go out meet his astronmy club and look at Venus through telescopes with protectives lenses.  I think they are solar telescopes.  They are going to get to the park at 5:15.  I think you have to be pretty dedicated to get up that early!  I think he is going to get up around 4:15!  I guess he wants to really see it!            

Smarty Jones loses

Yesterday Smarty Jones lost at the Belmont Stakes.  It was very sad that he did not become a Triple Crown Winner.  It looked as if he was going to win but Birdstone overtook him in the finishing stretch.  A record crowd that was teased into believing it would at long last see  racing history once again left stunned, disappointed, and some even in tears.

I for one thought Smarty Jones had a real chance at winning this time.  I loved his winning streak.  And the TV announcer on the station I was watching talked about how Smarty had a medal of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on his saddle.  And about how he had been blessed by three or four nuns.  I figured how could Smarty Jones go wrong if he had been blessed by three or four nuns?  That had to count for something!  

Of course when Birdstone won, one of the first things his rider, jockey Edgar Prado did was thank God.  So I guess I can't say God was on Smarty Jone's side and not on Birdstone's side! 

Prado was very sympathetic for winning the race and for beating Smarty Jones.  "I'm very sorry of course, but I had to do my job, that is what I am paid for," he said. 

Something tells me Smarty Jones is not out of things for good.