Special scope for rare Venus sight

Video images of the once-in-a-lifetime transit of Venus are set to stream live to the world from Stonehenge Aotearoa near Carterton tomorrow.

Richard Hall, of Stonehenge Aotearoa, said the transit of Venus is when the planet moves from being an evening star in the west to a morning star in the east.

"As this happens it will pass across the face of the Sun and appear as a small black circle," Mr Hall said.

Mr Hall said he was taking in stride predictions of a southerly change tomorrow, expected to bring cloud and rain.

"We have lots of little microclimates in Wairarapa and, when it's raining in Masterton, it can be clear over here.

"It has happened for us before that we've had visibility during weather that is otherwise a washout.

"But when you're an astronomer, you are always dependent on the weather.

"Unless you're sitting on top of a mountain above any bad weather, it's just a matter of keeping your fingers crossed."

Mr Hall has imported a special solar telescope and two lenses as part of celebrations for the event, he said, to allow the event to be projected on to a large screen, as the sun will cause eye damage unless viewed with proper protection.

If weather prevents seeing the transit, a video screen from other observatories, including those in Australia and Vietnam, will be shown live on a large screen at Aotearoa Stonehenge.

The transit begins at 10.15am tomorrow and will take about six hours to complete.

It last occurred in 2004 and was not visible in New Zealand skies, he said, and the next would not occur until December 11, 2117.

Celebrations begin at Stonehenge Aotearoa at 10am.

Venus moves off the Sun at 4.25pm, he said, and the transit will end at about 4.44pm.

Visitors will, weather permitting, also be able to observe sunspots and other solar activity.

Special presentations on the Cook voyages, the science behind the transit, and telescope viewing of the transit will be held throughout the day.

Presentations will start on the hour from 10am to 3pm.

Session numbers are limited, so bookings are essential.

Carterton will continue its celebrations of the transit of Venus in coming weeks and will be the venue for the annual conference for the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand, hosted by the Phoenix Astronomical Society.

Transit of Venus celebrations also fall in the same month as the winter solstice on June 23.

To book for the Transit of Venus, phone (06) 377 1600.