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VENUS TRANSIT 2004 questions, answers, recommendations

Learn about the Venus Transit 2004 project objectives, observation methods, safety instructions, recommended filters, time measurement, and more. Get involved in the competition connected with VT-2004.

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VENUS TRANSIT 2004 questions, answers, recommendations

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  1. VENUS TRANSIT 2004questions, answers, recommendations Rostislav HalasRealne gymnasium, Prostejov, Czech Republic

  2. Venus Transit 2004 From: http://didaktik.physik.uni-essen.de/~backhaus/VenusProject.htm

  3. Institutions involved in the project • European Southern Observatory (ESO) • European Association for Astronomy Education (EAAE) • Observatoire de Paris and Institut de Mécanique Céleste et de Calcul des Éphémérides (IMCCE) • Astronomickyustav Akademie ved Ceske republiky

  4. Objectives of the project • to increase the interest in science of young people • to explain the scientific methods of examining the world • to involve students in an international project • to compare students’ knowledge to the skills of students in other countries • to improve students’communication and language skills

  5. How to make the observations?Which tools are recommended? • Direct observation by eyes (protected)-the Venus’s diameter is about 1 arcmin (diameter of the Solar disk is ~30 arcmin) PROJECTION METHODES • Camera obscura (Pinhole Camera) • Look at the ground beneath trees with plenty of leaves. They act like pinholes making many pictures of the Sun • Small thumb-sized mirror and its reflection onto a screenat a distance of 6-10m • Projection method using telescope, binoculars, field-glasses • Using web-camera (camera, movie camera) mounted on a telescope • Webcasting – in case of bad observational conditions

  6. Which safety instructions MUST BE RESPECTED? • The most important is the protection of the eyes. • Don’t look in the direction of the Sun with unshielded eyes and not at all into a telescope without the appropriate filter. • Use optical filters. • Intensive lightin the visual region (wavelengths 400-800 nm) causes damage or destroys the eyes’ rods and cones. • IR (wavelengths longer than 800 nm)heats the eye tissues. • UV (wavelengths shorter than 400 nm)– acceleration of the aging of the outer layers, causes cataract.

  7. Which filters are recommended? ! Unsuitable (transmits IR and UV radiation): • films (colour and BW), which don’t contain silver • Photographic negatives, also X-ray films • smoky glass • sun glasses, layers of sun glasses • photographic neutral filters • polarization filters • diskets • CD’s ! The author of this presentation does not accept any responsibility for an incorrect utilization of the optical filters or observational tools!

  8. Which filters are recommended? ! Suitablefilters that attenuates IR and UV radiation: • Special filters that have been officially certified for observation of the Sun • Special glasses (eclipse glasses) • Welding glass No.14 ! The author of this presentation does not accept any responsibility for an incorrect utilization of the optical filters or observational tools

  9. How can you determine your geographical position? • Sextant • Map (precision approx. 1 arcmin) • Internet • GPS • Ask the experts, e.g., Astronomical observatories, Military specialists, Geodesy office

  10. How are you going to measure the time? • Digital watches synchronized with UTC • Timing precision of 1 second is sufficient • In case of the projection method, it is recommended to record the transit by means of a time –synchronized video camera

  11. How to set up the Universal Time? • Time marks of some brodcasting TV or radio channels (+ correction for UT and summer time) (beginning approx. 7:19 hrs, and endapprox. 13:22 hrsCentral European Summer Time - CEST) • Time signal transmitter DCF 77 ,Frankfurt am Main (Germany). • GPS receiver • Don’t use internet – there is a time delay!

  12. How will you send your measured values and when will you get to know the results? • Registered VT-2004 observers will send theirmeasured values via internet on www.vt-2004.org/central/ for central processing. • On the same page they can follow the progress of the transit event on June 8, 2004 and the outcome of the observations of the participants in real time.

  13. Do you think your measurementwill be better than that of astronomers of the 18th century? • This depends on observational abilities of the individual observers.Considering the number of the observers and the better technical instrumentation, some observers will certainly achieve better results then our ancestors.

  14. What competition is connected with VT-2004? • Members of the public - either as individuals or in teams, e.g., in schools or astronomy clubs - are invited to present a video of maximum 8 minutes (in any European language but with an English transcript of the manuscript) in connection with the Transit of Venus on June 8, 2004. The video could either present the astronomical event, the local event that you have witnessed, including preparations for the observations, reactions of participants and on-lookers, ... or it could try to demonstrate sociological or historical aspects, or wider scientific or philosophical issues, etc. • The first prize is a free trip for two to the ESO Paranal Observatory located in the Chilean Andes, one of the foremost astronomical centres in the world and the home of the Very Large Telescope (VLT). • The second and third prizes are a personal visit for two persons per winning video to an internationally renowned science film production company in Europe and the opportunity to meet professional film makers.

  15. What tuitional and perceptual materials are available? • tuitional and perceptual materials onwww.vt-2004.org (in particular in the “Students and Teachers” section) • Animationsand photos are also available at this website

  16. Recommended procedure – part I • Choose a method for your observation. You can start by looking through the information at www.vt-2004.org . • Find out the geographical coordinates of your observatory place. • Register as one of the observers at http://vt2004.imcce.fr/vt2004i/Index.php . • Prepare the equipment for your observation: • Right optic filters • A binocular or a telescope • Fix the shade • A camera, a movie camera • Instruct all your colleagues to protect their eyes. Pay attention to possible reflection of the rays and damage of the filters. • Test the method of your observation and all the equipment before the transit of Venus. It would be suitable to observe the sunspots. You can find forecast of the sunspots at http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/.

  17. Recommended procedure - part II • Try to follow the motion of the Sun from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Your observational tool should be able to be turned according to the motion of the Sun in the sky. • Make sure that your watch is sychronized with UTC. • On 8th June 2004, be ready at the right place and at the right time! (beginning at 7:19 hrs, finishing at 13:22 hrs CEST)! • Repeat to all your observerrs the SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS once again! • Venus enters at the solar disc at the lower left corner. Don’t forget that the astronomical telescope turns the picture upside down! • Provide accurate timings of up to four specific moments during the transit: • the moment when Venus´disc first ´touches´ the solar disc ( the first contact) • the moment, when Venus´ disc has passed the solar limb and is ´inside´ the solar disc ( the second contact) • the moment when Venus´ disc first touches the other side of the solar limb ( the third contact) • the moment when Venus´ disc passes the solar limb ( the fourth / last contact) Your measurements will be useful, also if you measure only the second to fourth contacts. The times of the third and fourth contacts are crucial for the calculation.

  18. Recommended procedure – part III • When using the method of projection it will be useful to record the transit with a video camera with synchronized time. It will then be possible to deterrmine the right moment of the contact from the recorded movie. • Another possibility is to take photos with the time recorded in the frames and then to determine the right moment by linear interpolation. • The measured data will be sent by the means of the internet to central processing at http://www.vt-2004.org/central/. • The results of particular measurements, the value of the AU and the achieved precision and deviation from the value detected by a more accurate method will be presented at the same website of the project. • If you want to send avideo to the international competition, you should do it before 15th September 2004. You can find the detailed instructions at http://www.vt-2004.org/Video. • If there are unfavourable conditions at the time of the Venus transit, you will be able to watch this unique phenomenon on the internet. You can find the information about servers transmitting the transit of Venus on-line at http://www.vt-2004.org/

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