Huw James at the Royal Geographical Society UK
We are looking to set out in April 2012 and travel overland in two 4×4′s to Japan. Travelling through Europe, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Russia to view the transit from the island of Japan. Preliminary ideas suggest old sites such as Hositori Yama where George Davidson saw the transit (just) in 1874. Or a modern take being Mt Fuji. There’ll be 5 of us in the field team and around 4 on the home team, all making sure that this expedition goes without hitch.
The main aim of this expedition is the educational value we can gain from it. Along the way we’ll be making Astronomical Resources, Videos, Tutorials, Live Streams from the Field and obviously a live stream when we’re there, all for schools around the world. We see this amazing event as a trigger to get the next generation thinking about Science and especially Astronomy. We’ve already partnered up to a whole host of organisations here in the UK and will no doubt team up with a load more. Planning has been underway since June of last year and we’re really feeling the pressure!
Over the next few months I’ll be updating you on the expedition as the Expedition Leader. Whether we get Visa’s sorted, if vehicles come in on time, if one of us gets dysentry. Like I said we’re getting pressed for time now with less than a hundred and fifty days until the transit. Who knows if we’ll get full funding, or if we’ll even get permission to enter these countries! As a Leader you always have to have a Plan B, but hope you’ll never have to use it!
You can find more out about the expedition at www.venustransitexpedition.co.uk or head to www.facebook.com/venustransitexpedition or go to www.twitter.com/teamVTE. There are now loads of ways to have a look at what we’re up to and how you can be involved!
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