Venus Transit

The Venus transit takes place on 5-6 June, when the planet will be seen silhouetted against the face of the sun.

This is a rare astronomical event, with transits occurring in a pattern of a 'pair of pairs' that repeats every 243 years. First, two transits take place in December, eight years apart. After a gap of 121 years, six months, two transits occur in June, again eight years apart. After a further 105 years, six months, the pattern repeats.

The last transit was on 8 June 2004, and the previous one was in December 1882. The transit will be visible from eastern Asia and Australasia, the Pacific Ocean and north-western parts of North America. Only the last hour or so will be visible in the UK, in the early hours of the morning, from around 4.45am.

To observe the transit, precautions need to be taken to protect the eyes from the sun’s glare, for instance by using a solar filter, eclipse spectacles or viewing a projected image.  

The following transit of Venus will not take place until 2117, making the 5-6 June transit the last one this century and a chance in a lifetime opportunity to witness this unusual event.

Lunar Eclipse

The second eclipse of 2012 will be a partial lunar eclipse on June 4, visible from the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii, New Zealand, and central and eastern Australia. 
Observers in western United States and Canada will have a limited view.

 

Ring of Fire

An annular eclipse of the sun will be visible from May 20 – 21 along part of the Northern hemisphere, starting in Eastern Asia, crossing the North Pacific ocean and ending in the western United States. A partial eclipse will be visible from a larger area covering East Asia, North Pacific, North America and Greenland. During an annular eclipse, the moon does not block out the entire sun but leaves a bright “ring of fire” around the edges. An eclipse has always been regarded as one of the great wonders of the cosmos: many ancient civilisations saw the sun as a bringer of light and life, so the blocking out of the sun’s light was not considered a good omen. This annular eclipse (from the Latin “annulus” meaning ring) takes place shortly before another significant astronomical event, the Venus transit, with this planet due to cross the face of the sun on 5/6June.

Poll reveals end of world fears

Nearly 15 percent of people responding to an international poll said they believed the world would end during their lifetime and 10 percent thought the Mayan calendar could signify it would happen in 2012.

Responses to an international poll of 16,262 people in more than 20 countries varied widely with only six percent of French residents believing in an impending Armageddon in their lifetime, compared to 22 percent in Turkey and the United States and slightly less in South Africa.

Only seven percent in Belgium and eight percent in Great Britain feared an end to the world during their lives.

About one in 10 people globally also said they were experiencing fear or anxiety about the impending end of the world in 2012. The greatest numbers were in Russia and Poland, the fewest in Great Britain

Ipsos Global Public Affairs conducted the poll for Reuters.
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Super Moon

On 5 May, the moon will be full at the same time as it passes relatively close the earth, making it appear particularly bright. Astronomers call this a perigee or Super Moon, in this case the closest the moon will be until 2014, making it appear about a third brighter than average.

Extreme tides are likely while the moon is closer to the earth.