Transits
Transits are rare and fascinating events, which occur when an astronomical body passes between the Earth and the Sun. If you discount the odd comet or asteroid, which are likely to be too small to detect, or man-made objects like the International Space Station (which is frequently seen in transit) only three objects of real merit can do this: the Moon and the planets Venus and Mercury. Transits of the Moon are of course called eclipses. These are numerous, though it is necessary to hop around the world to catch them when they occur! Transits of Venus and Mercury are much rarer, but provided you are on the Sunward side of the Earth at the critical time, it is not necessary to travel to see them. Transits of Venus are extremely rare, though they tend to come in pairs, eight years apart, but then you must wait another 100 years or so for one to occur again. Miss both of them and will most likely never see one again in your lifetime. Mercury transits on the other hand occur relatively frequently - 13~14 times a century. So there is a real chance of catching more than one.
In my life have been lucky enough to see three transits (and nearly saw a fourth - if only the sky had been clear for the 2012 transit of Venus!). The first transit I ever saw was of Mercury in 2003, but that was through someone else's telescope and I have no photographic record. However, I can report that it was a marvellous thing to see! More importantly, I have observed and photographed the 2004 transit of Venus and the 2016 transit of Mercury. Both were observed from my back garden in Cheshire, which made them inexpensive events in comparison with some of the eclipses I have seen!
These I share with you in the following pages.
In my life have been lucky enough to see three transits (and nearly saw a fourth - if only the sky had been clear for the 2012 transit of Venus!). The first transit I ever saw was of Mercury in 2003, but that was through someone else's telescope and I have no photographic record. However, I can report that it was a marvellous thing to see! More importantly, I have observed and photographed the 2004 transit of Venus and the 2016 transit of Mercury. Both were observed from my back garden in Cheshire, which made them inexpensive events in comparison with some of the eclipses I have seen!
These I share with you in the following pages.