Newswise — (Boston) – On June 5, Venus will make one of its rare transits across the surface of the sun. The Boston University Astronomy Department and BU Center for Space Research will host an event to allow as many visitors as possible a safe glimpse of this event. (It is not safe to stare at the sun without eye protection.) The transit of Venus across the Sun, an event that occurs only twice every 121 years, will begin shortly after 6 p.m. on June 5. This event last occurred in 1761-69 and 1874-82, and has great historical significance for the field of astronomy.
In recent years, the BU Astronomy Department drew over 400 people to view Mars at its closest approach to the Earth. For the Venus transit, viewing stations will be set up on the rooftop of the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) at 685 Commonwealth Ave., on a grassy knoll at the corner of Comm. Ave. where it crosses over Route 90, and at the corner of St. Mary’s and Commonwealth Ave. in front of the barbershop. If the weather is overcast, the astronomers will present an image of the transit broadcast from Hawaii or elsewhere in CAS Room 522 (685 Commonwealth Ave.). Room 522 will also feature presentations on the lore and science behind the Venus transit. For more information, visit http://www.bu.edu/astronomy/events/venustransit/.
Founded in 1839, Boston University is an internationally recognized private research university with more than 30,000 students participating in undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. As Boston University’s largest academic division, the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences is the heart of the BU experience, creating an extensive global reach that enhances the University’s reputation for teaching and research.
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