Transit
of Mercury, 11th November 2019
This transit was observed from Chelmsford with an 80mm f11 refractor
using projection on to a 6in (152mm) diameter disk. Observing
conditions were not ideal before the transit with plenty of cloud.
Luckily the Sun appeared just after 1st contact and stayed reasonabily
clear until around 15:30 UT when the Sun was at an altitude of just 5
deg. The drawing below shows the position of Mercury at 10 minute
intervals from 12:40 UT.
Transit
of Mercury, 9th May 2016
The transit was observed using telescopes set up by the Crete Astronomy
Friends Club in the picturesque Venetian Harbour in Chania, Crete (see
photo below). I observed the transit at around 15:50 UT (18:50 EEST,
i.e. local time). Both the telescopes (on the same mount) used solar
safety filters and showed that the Mercury was darker than the umbra of
the few sunspots that were visible. The sky was slightly hazy as seen
in the photograph.
Transit
of Venus, 8th June 2004
The observing conditions
on the morning of 8th June 2004
for the transit of Venus were very good with a clear sky (there was a
little cirrus cloud at around 07h 00m) enabling the whole transit to be
observed. First contact was estimated to be at 05h 19m UT and fourth
contact at 11h 23m UT. At second and third contacts the black drop
effect was seen briefly.
Below is my disk drawing
made using a 80mm f11 refractor
using projection on to a 6in (152mm) diameter disk. The planet appeared
as a sharp black circle on the solar disk. Also shown below are an
animation made from the drawing, the distance of Venus from the solar
limb and its position angle.
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Venus
from 05h 20m UT at 40
minute intervals to 11h 20m UT. The sunspots shown were drawn at 08h
20m UT (close to the time of maximum distance of Venus from the solar
limb).
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An
animation of the transit
(at 20 minute intervals).
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The
distance of Venus from
the solar limb.
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The
position angle of Venus
during the transit.
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Transit
of Mercury, 7th May 2003
The observing conditions
on the morning of 7th May 2003
for the transit of Mercury were good - a clear sky with some cirrus,
hardly any wind and good seeing (solar granulation easily visible)
until about 10h 00m UT when some turbulence was noticeable, especially
on the solar limb.
Below is my disk drawing
made using a 80mm f11 refractor
using projection on to a 6in (152mm) diameter disk. The planet appeared
as a sharp black circle which was only slightly darker than the umbra
in the unipolar sunspot towards the centre of the solar disk. Also
shown below are an animation made from the drawing, the distance of
Mercury from the solar limb and its position angle.
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Mercury
from 06h 40m UT at
10 minute intervals to 10h 30m UT. The sunspots shown were drawn at 07h
50m UT (close to the time of maximum distance of Mercury from the solar
limb).
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An
animation of the transit
(at 10 minute intervals).
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The
distance of Mercury from
the solar limb.
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The
position angle of
Mercury during the transit.
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Last
updated on
14 June 2004.
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