2. Why is the Transit of Venus (project)
Relevant to the Profession?
• Why the transit of Venus?
• Objective
• Back ground
• The project in more detail
• Distribution of solar scopes
• Resources
• Future ?

3. O B S E R V IN G T H E T R A N S IT O F
VE N U S
HISTORY
The sighting of Australia by Captain Cook in 1770 was
preceded by one of the most important scientific expeditions of
the time;
OUTCOME
to measure the distance between the Earth and the Sun (an
astronomical unit - AU) and so compute the scale of the solar
system.
METHOD
This was achieved by measuring the time taken for Venus to
transit across the face of the Sun from different locations on
Earth and uses the parallax effect to compute 1 AU.

4. T H E T R A N S IT O F V E N U S
The Blue Elipse represents our
view of the Sun’s Orbit
Venus’ orbit is inclined (by 3.39
(Courtesy Hyperphysics, 2006)
degrees) relative to the ecliptic

5. L IS T O F T R A N S IT S A N D
IN T E R V A L S
Ascending (A) or Duration since last transit
Date of transit
Descending (D) node (years and months)
6 December 1631 A
4 December 1639 A 8 yrs
6 June 1761 D 121 yrs 6 months
3 June 1769 D 8 yrs
9 December 1874 A 105 yrs 6 months
6 December 1882 A 8 yrs
8 June 2004 D 121 yrs 6 months
5 June 2012 D 8 yrs
11 December 2117 A 105 yrs 6 months
8 December 2125 A 8 yrs
5

6. A B R IE F H IS T O R Y O F T H E T R A N S IT O F
VE N U S
First predicted by Johannes Kepler in the early 17th century
First scientifically observed transit in 1639 by Jeremiah
Horrocks
using a telescope to project the image of the Sun onto a
piece of paper
an estimation of the Astronomical Unit was made, but
based on assumptions of the size of Venus
Early in the 18th century, Edmund Halley proposed a
method of calculating the distance from Earth to Sun using
transits of Mercury or Venus.

7. A B R IE F H IS T O R Y O F T H E T R A N S IT O F
VE N U S
The transits of 1761 and 1769 were observed by many people, in different
locations around the world.
The 1769 transit is the one observed notably by Captain James Cook in Tahiti.
In Australia in 1874, a team of men led by Government Astronomer Henry
Chamberlain Russell, scientifically observed transit of Venus in various
locations around New South Wales.
There was an unsuccessful observation at Jimbour on the Darling Downs in
1882 and the project hopes to successfully observe the T of V there in June.
A re-enactment at Woodford in the Blue Mountains on 8 June 2004

8. T R A N S IT O F V E N U S
– A MODERN
MEAS UREMENT
The Project will live stream video of the event
to our website www.transitofvenus.com.au and
leave a lasting record and allows accurate
timing of the ingress and egress of the Transit.
Old
The Project partnership consists of Surveyors
and amateur astronomers, who have
astronomical telescopes with an accurate
tracking and timing mechanism and a capacity
to stream images live to a website.
Should a site be cloudy there are several
Astronomy sites in Australia we can call on to
view on the website. New

9. T H E T R A N S IT O F V E N U S
The Project Website has:
Countdown Timer to the Transit
which will be replaced by the actual
Transit in progress.
Safety message,
Information & Entry to Schools
Competition on line,
Access to a free simulator software
called Stellarium, with exercises
Computing “AU”
The Brochure of the TofV
Surveying and Astronomy
What to Observe
Links to relevant Surveying, Spatial
and Education sites & lots more …..
There are a number of Transit of Venus websites but ours is the
best.

10. V IE W IN G T H E
T R A N S IT
…. or here you will If you live here …
see the whole transit

11. The Project Website www.transitofvenus.com.au makes
students aware of Astronomy and the Surveying & Spatial
Professions covering:
 Land Surveying,
 Hydrographical Surveying,
 Engineering Surveying
 Mine Surveying,
 Spatial Information, (Geographical Information)
 Cartography,
 Photogrammetry,
 Remote Sensing and
 Geodetic Surveying.
 Astronomy
 Seats of Learning and
 an insight into a Surveying Practice.
 Past and Future directions of Surveying and Spatial Professions

12. F O R M O R E IN F O R M A T IO N
The calculation of the distance from earth to the sun “AU”
using the Venus Transits are too complicated to explain here.
The paper which was presented at the International F.I.G.
Congress by Craig Roberts and Matthew Cooper in Sydney
2010, recommended Steven van Roode’s Online Parallax
Calculator, http://www.transitofvenus.nl/parallax.html for
calculating AU.
Note: for Countries east of the dateline,
the Transit occurs on the 5th June.

13. The current accepted value 1AU is
149,597,870.691 km
(Distance from earth to the sun)
www.transitofvenus.com.au Nick de Weger for Project Committee.

14. T h e S c h o o ls
C o m p e t i t i o n ( n o w f in is h e d )
 The schools competition was about winning a free Solarscope (valued at in
excess of $150) for your local school
 Schools could also purchase additional Solarscopes at the reduced price of
$80.00
 The competition was to predict the time of “second contact” of the Transit
of Venus at that school.
 Our web site http://www.transitofvenus.com.au/Resources.html contains
teaching material that will assist in predicting this time i.e. free Software
“Stellarium” & iPhone & Android Apps
 The competition could only be entered “on line” on our web page.
 Entries closed end March 2012 and SolarScopes will be presented in May
2012, by surveyors who will talk to students.
 If the school misses out, Surveyors could purchase a SolarScope for their
school at discount price with an advertorial stickers on it.

15. Schools Competition Entries, SolarScope
Orders & Volunteer Register
Report as at 2:00pm 19th April 2012

16. T H E T R A N S IT O F V E N U S

17. Th e
S o la r S c o p e
The Educational Solarscope is great for studying
sunspots, solar eclipses and the transits of Venus
and Mercury.
There's even a comprehensive user's guide with instructions on
tracking the Earth's ever-changing position with regard to the Sun.
The Solarscope Educational Version is designed for use by 2 to 7
observers.
The Educational Solarscope Version is for those willing to go further
than simple sun observation and comes with a 40-page workbook
walking the user through many interesting measurements.

18. Th e
S o la r S c o p e
The Transit of Venus - What you will actually see.
In the SolarScope Venus will appear to move
in a “U” shape.

19. S UPPOR
ATFree iPhone or Android Application is available from
www.transitofvenus.nl and click on
Screenshots

20. To finish, here is a video clip
from NASA to summarise.
Video

21. Sponsors
F U N D I N G /C O N T R I B U T
Without the financial support of the following sponsors, the project would
not have proceeded. Their commitment to the advancement of education in
the sciences and related subjects is gratefully acknowledged.
Astronomical Association of Queensland www.aaq.org.au
Bennett + Bennett bennettandbennett.com.au
Bosco Johnson www.bosjon.com.au
C. R. Kennedy www.crkennedy.com.au
Consulting Surveyors National www.acsnational.com.au
Schlencker Surveying mail@schlencker.com.au
SIBA www.spatialbusiness.org/aus/About_SIBA.aspx
IN G B O D IE S
Statewide Surveying statewidesurvey.com.au
The Institution of Surveyors New South Wales www.surveyors.org.au
The Institution of Surveyors Victoria www.surveying.org.au
The Institution of Surveyors Queensland reo.qld@sssi.org.au
The Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute Qld Region www.sssi.org.au
The Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute LSC
The Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute Qld Region Central Group
Ultimate Positioning, Roderick_Yann@ultimatepositioning.com
Wesfarmers
A Truly Industry initiative.
initiative