This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Venus to Block a Small Part of the Sun

Watch the Transit of Venus 2012 Tuesday evening. It last happened in 2004, but it won't happen again until 2117.

Venus will pass between earth and the sun Tuesday night a little after 6 p.m.

It last happened in 2004, but it won't happen again until 2117.

Assuming sufficiently clear skies, the transit will be visible for us starting at about 6:04 p.m. and will remain so until the sun sets.

Find out what's happening in Chestnut Hill-Mt. Airywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

How to Watch

Never look directly at the sun with your naked eyes. You can damage your eyes. Likewise, viewing the sun with either binoculars or a telescope can direct the sun's magnified rays directly into your eyeball and cause serious injury―think about what happens to ants under a magnifying glass.

Find out what's happening in Chestnut Hill-Mt. Airywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Sunglasses do not provide sufficient protection. If you know someone who works in plumbing or construction, ask them if they have any #14 welder's glass. You can look directly at the sun through this material without risking injury.

Regional Places to Watch

The Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers and the Upper Merion Township Library are each offering viewing events.

  • Colonial Middle School, 716 Belvoir Road, Plymouth Meeting. Go to the rear of the school, near the ballfield.
  • IMAX United Artist Movie Theater, 300 Goddard Blvd, King of Prussia. Go to the parking lot west of the theater.

The Lehigh Valley Amateur Astronomical Society, in partnership with the DaVinci Science Center, will host a public viewing of the "Transit of Venus" on Tuesday.

Though it's not quite the same as viewing the phenomenon in person, there are several places to watch the transit of Venus online:

Lastly, there's Don Pettit, an astronaut currently aboard the International Space Station. Pettit's not doing a video feed, but he will become the first person to ever photograph a transit of Venus from outer space

Do you plan to watch? Are you excited about this once in a lifetime event? Tell us in the comments.

Download the movie

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Chestnut Hill-Mt. Airy