June 8, 2004
By Lebofsa Masha
CHILDREN from schools around the city gathered early in the morning on 8 June at the Johannesburg Planetarium to watch Venus move slowly across the sun.
Using specially coated viewing glasses, the children gazed at the little black dot as Venus moved between the sun and Earth. Many were expecting more. "We woke up at 6.30 am just to see this black little dot. I was expecting to see something bigger," said Beauty Mohloiwa, a Grade 10 pupil from the Trumpet Sound Christian Academy in Maraisburg.
The school children from the Trumpet Sound Christian Academy in Maraisburg were the first to arrive, with teacher Bill Norman who was excited about the opportunity to see such an exceptional event.
The transit of Venus was last seen in 1882 and will be visible again in 2012 before Venus' orbit takes it away from Earth again. The next time Venus passes between Earth and the sun will be in 120 years time.
"It's great to see Venus passing across the sun," said Norman. "It's such a rare experience."
Only six transits - between 1631 and 1882 - have ever been recorded.
Norman described the morning at the planetarium as satisfying and worthwhile, adding that the children were very privileged that this had happen in their lifetime.
Tutors were on hand to explain to the children exactly what was happening in the morning sky. Mark Gotin, a pupil from the American International School in Midrand who is doing a project in astronomy, was one of the volunteer members of the Planetarium Transit Team.
The team used card boxes to build their own viewer-scopes through which they could watch the transit. Each scope was fitted with a lens and mirror and the event was then reflected on to a piece of white paper inside the box.
"This event was important more than 100 years ago," said Gotin, adding that nobody alive today had ever seen the transit of Venus.
Although there was nothing scientifically significant about the 2004 transit, in the past such planetary movements had been used to calculate the distances between planets and estimate the size of the universe.
The idea of watching Venus' movement across the sky was to create public awareness about the wonders of astronomy, said Germani Devilliers, one of the Planetarium Transit Team from the University of Pretoria.
"Today is about having fun," she said.
Director of the Johannesburg Planetarium, Dr Claire Flanagan, shared the sentiment. "It's a fun day."
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