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.