(meteorobs) Venus Transit: Sucess!

[Skywayinc at aol.com]

Just a note to say that I was able to observe the Transit of Venus from in 
front of the Putnam Valley Elementary School.  The school is up on a hill that 
overlooks the east-northeast sky.  I arrived just after 5:30 a.m. 

I had made a brief announcement at St. Luke's Church in Putnam Valley on 
Sunday that I planned to be at the school to watch . . . and when I arrived, there 
were already a few people there, including Jill Munoz, the Pastor's wife.  
"It's a good thing you didn't oversleep, Joe.  We were all waiting for you."   
:/

A very deep red Sun (significantly attenuated by horizon haze) began 
appearing over the treeline at 5:37 a.m.  My first look at the silhouette of Venus was 
at 5:39 a.m.  I did not need any filtration and used my own eyes, 7 x 35 
binoculars and a 3.1" refractor.  

Even though I was fully prepared for what I was going to see, I was still 
nonetheless surprised at the view!  

Between 5:39 and 6:15 a.m., the Sun was intermittently obscured by dark 
stratus clouds.  Also, as it rose higher, the haze thinned, so that I soon had to 
use one thickness . . . then ultimately two thicknesses of Mylar (I cut up an 
emergency campers blanket that I had purchased a few days earlier at a sporting 
goods store).

After 6:15 a.m., Venus and the Sun was in full view through the rest of the 
transit. 

As the transit progressed, teachers, parents and students gradually began 
arriving and I dutifully gave everyone a look.  

One kid said Venus looked " . . . like a pokadot against the Sun."  
One of teachers at the school asked if I was " . . . the Transit Authority."  
 :)

As third contact approached, it looked (to me) for a few moments that the 
forward-edge of Venus "flattened" a bit . . . then suddenly merged into the outer 
limb of the Sun.  I gradually watched Venus' exit completely off the Sun's 
disk over the next 20 minutes.

A very satisfying morning.  
I hope everyone who tried to get a view, saw it!
-- joe rao
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