Venus Transit

  • Released Tuesday, May 29, 2012
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On June 5, 2012 at 6:03 p.m. EDT, the planet Venus will cross directly between Earth and the sun—a journey completed only six times since the invention of the telescope. To spectators, the planet will appear as a black dot moving from left to right across the sun's bright disk. Among the rarest planetary alignments, the transit of Venus follows an odd cycle: Two occur eight years apart, and then 105 or 121 years pass until one happens again. After June 5, the next transit will come about in 2117. The precise moments when Venus appears and disappears from Earth's field of view are of particular significance. In the 18th century, scientists used the timing of the transit to improve early calculations of the distance between the sun and Earth. The videos below show how Venus will make its final transit of the century.

It's the most infrequent, predictable occurrence in the heavens, and it's happening soon.

It's the most infrequent, predictable occurrence in the heavens, and it's happening soon.

This visualization shows the orbital paths of Venus and Earth that will lead to this rare alignment.

Venus will take just more than six hours to cross the sun on June 5, 2012.

Venus appears as a black dot on the lower left edge of the sun in this GOES satellite image, captured during the 2004 transit.

Venus appears as a black dot on the lower left edge of the sun in this GOES satellite image, captured during the 2004 transit.

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory will capture unprecedented imagery of the transit and use the event to calibrate its sensors.

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory will capture unprecedented imagery of the transit and use the event to calibrate its sensors.

This map shows where and when the 2012 transit will be visible. Remember, never look directly at the sun.

This map shows where and when the 2012 transit will be visible. Remember, never look directly at the sun.

For More Information

See NASA.gov

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Cover image courtesy of NASA's Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE)
GOES satellite image, captured by the GOES 12 satellite, courtesy of NOAA
Map of transit visibility courtesy of Michael Zeiler

This page was originally published on Tuesday, May 29, 2012.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:53 PM EDT.