Two Meade ETX scopes with solar filters provided several young campers (and older staffers) a beautiful view of the Dark Side of Venus along with several sunspots. It was neat to take the UTC time for the beginning of transit and subtract 4 minutes (we're at 89 degrees west, 1 degree "earlier" than CDT) and see the start at teh right time....a real-world physics problem. Unfotunately, we don't have a camera mount but took a few snapshots through the eyepiece.
I had not taken the time to calculate the angular size of the Venus image, but was happy to see how large it was (I saw the Mercury transit back in 2006(? or 7?)). People kept commenting on how small it was. Didn't have time to explain to them how big it was. Lots of people did notice the sunspots without prompting, and I think it was a first telescope (and certainly first solar observing) experience.
Funniest question:"Will we be able to see it tonight?" No, the Sun is going to set. "Oh ..." (cue laughter from nearby friends)
________________________________________
From: phys-l-bounces@mail.phys-l.org [phys-l-bounces@mail.phys-l.org] On Behalf Of brian whatcott [betwys1@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2012 10:01 PM
To: phys-l@mail.phys-l.org
Subject: [Phys-L] Venus Transit.
The transit has come and gone. Armed with two welders' glasses, I saw no
dark spot.
My wife briefly projected an image onto card from cheap binoculars and
took a snap shot.
I mention this auspicious occasion purely to see some phys-l message -
ANY phys-l message.