On 6 June 2012, a transit of Venus occurred. This rare astronomical event, when Venus passes directly in front of the Sun, and appears as a large black dot on its surface slowly moving from one side to the other in about 3 hours, has only happened eight times since the invention of the telescope (ref 1). This post… Continue reading Transit of Venus
Tag: Sun
The Morning Star-Venus
Venus, is the brightest planet and third brightest natural object in the sky. It has an orbit closer to the Sun that the Earth, which it is mainly a daytime object and exhibits phases similar to the Moon. Galileo's observations of these phases supported heliocentrism, contrasting the geocentric model favored by the Church.
Why is the Sky Blue?
Explains the scientific reasons behind blue skies on Earth. It contrasts Earth's atmospheric effects with those on the Moon, where the sky appears black due to a lack of atmosphere, and Mars, where a reddish-brown hue results from iron oxide dust.
Lunar Eclipse 28 September 2015
On 28 September 2015 there will be an total eclipse of the Moon, which will be viewable from many areas of the world. It will be an interesting sight and worth getting up at an unsociable hour to see it, especially since there won't be another total lunar eclipse until 2018. The Moon during a recent… Continue reading Lunar Eclipse 28 September 2015
The June Solstice
The June solstice, which for most of the world will fall on June 21 this year, is the longest day in the northern hemisphere and the day when the Sun is at its highest in the midday sky (see note). The origin of the word solstice is from the Latin words sol, which means Sun, and sistere, to stand… Continue reading The June Solstice
Explaining Science 