It’s not every day, you get to see an eclipse. Watching Venus pass in front of the sun is even rarer.
So when I got a chance to watch it happen, I jumped at the chance!
During a special event held at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, people got the chance to watch the eclipse , known as The Transit of Venus, through special protective sunglasses and telescopes.
Being a science fan, I jumped at the chance to look through the telescope and witness the eclipse at the University of Waterloo where an afternoon event had been arranged, complete with a presentation, and opportunities to look through giant telescopes and talk to experts. It was also possible to get your hands on a set of special UV glasses that enabled you to look directly at the sun – without causing damage to your eye – in order to watch the eclipse.
It was a fantastic event, held during the afternoon of June 15, 2012, and it was great to see hundreds of people out to mark the occasion. For me, it was a great opportunity to learn more about the universe.
Unfortunately, the next chance to check out the transit of Venus is a little while away; it’s predicted to be 2117 before the planet passes in front of the sun once again. So in the meantime, I’ll be looking for more opportunities to gaze at the galaxies.
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