Anybody witnessed this event? Missed it? Next chance 2012. If you are in the UK, tough luck cos you probably cant see it for another 125+ years. We couldnt have seen it today considering the usually sloppy british weather but the Gods were benign today. Not a cloud. Followed the black dot all the way across the sun.

Anybody else saw it anywhere else in the world?

Mehh. I couldn't really care.. although the solar eclipse a few years ago was interesting. Yes, it's a super day in London today.. too bad I'm stuck in the office :( At least it's air conditioned though :)

Went to the bank today, to deposit a check and start an account for Straightarrow Games. The entrance to the bank is on the City Hall Square. A corner of the Square had a crowd of about 50 people: school children, middleaged males, and a few elderly. Also present were 8-12 telescopes, all pointing in the same direction. "Oh - they must be checking out the Venus transit".
Entered the bank and drew a number, 9 people before my number would be called. Went outside and had a few looks into various telescopes. One was particularly good, showing the sun in it's glorius yellow, with a lot of surrounding blackness.
And a surprisingly large black circle - Venus.
Of course, the image in itself was nothing spectacular, if you didn't realise the scale involved.
But if you did-- pretty amazing.

Of course, the image in itself was nothing spectacular, if you didn't realise the scale involved.
But if you did-- pretty amazing.


Very true. I tried to hawk the transit of venus at my street to passers by and very soon a hot chick came by to see it ;) She probably expected something like hollywood sfx but all she got was a black dot on a yellow circle - felt not even worth the time to stop!

Then a very not so hot chick stopped by and thought the whole thing was amazing!

Is it just my bad luck or is there a possible theory here?

Is it just my bad luck or is there a possible theory here?
My theory - a telescope isn't the best way to pick up.

If you wanted better girl-wooing potential, you might do better with the pinhole-box-over-the-head technique of viewing solar phenomena. At least, way back when there was a really nice solar eclipse at my high school, everyone was clawing for a turn in the box, where a telescope probably wouldn't have gone over as well.

Originally posted by HunterSD
My theory - a telescope isn't the best way to pick up.

Haha!! :)

A bigger telescope would probably do the trick!

I stay away from solar events now since the crazy events of the solar eclipse a few years back. We (bunch of friends & three brothers) got a house down in Cornwall for the week to watch the eclipse. One of 'em went crazy after drinking a bottle of tequila, smashed the house to bits and tried to kill both his brothers (who wisely ran away to hide for the night in a field whilst I held the door shut so they could escape), and then he destroyed all their posessions and car and then drove off still totally pissed. Aftermath looked like a murder scene - blood everywhere, fist and boot sized holes in doors, etc.

Solar eclipse + dope + tequila + antidepressants + family squabbles - what a combination!

Cas :)

A bigger telescope would probably do the trick!
Nah, then they would think you are compensating for a lack in other departments.

Solar eclipse + dope + tequila + antidepressants + family squabblesHmmm, somehow I think the solar eclipse is a minor factor here :eek:

I bet he didn't remember a thing afterwards :rolleyes:

Unfortunately he did, he just has no idea how it happened and it scared the willies out of him.

The eclipse really did do some funny things. You should have seen my dog. She went really weird.

Cas :)