September 18, 2011
Dear all,
A new academic year has started, and it is therefore a good thing to give special attention to science teachers and their students, as well as others who kindle enthusiasm for astronomy in young people. But first two exciting news items.
Hubble Telescope will observe the transit of Venus
The Hubble Telescope will be used to observe the transit of Venus next year. The telescope won’t be pointed at the sun however, but at the moon instead. Why? When directed at the sun, the delicate instruments of the space telescope would immediately be destroyed by the intensity of the focussed sun light. Safely pointed at the moon, the telescope will measure the intensity of the reflected sun light. During the transit of Venus, part of the solar disk will be blocked, resulting in a small decrease of sun light reflected off the moon’s surface. This is a very special way of observing the transit, and is somewhat reminiscent of the way exoplanets are detected by other stars hundreds of light years away. For an interview with Space Telescope Science Institute Director Matt Mountain and a link to the research proposal of Alfred Vidal-Madjar, see the post by Chuck Bueter: http://transitofvenus.nl/wp/2011/09/09/hubble-telescope-participates/
Development of Phone app commenced
Last week work has started on the development of our free phone app, which will facilitate our Measure the Sun’s Distance Project, assisting you in timing the start and end of the transit, submitting your observations to our international database, and exchanging your experiences with others. First, a very basic version will be put together with only the most essential functions, which will be ready in about two months. For a test run, we are seeking volunteers who would like to test this basic version and give us suggestions for improvement. If you would like to participate in this test run, just contact Steven van Roode at s.vanroode@transitofvenus.nl
Educational resources
Not only is the transit of Venus a unique astronomical phenomenon, not to be seen again until 2117, it also has a lot of potential for science education, from kindergarten to college. No student should be denied a view of the transit of Venus. Likely, future astronomers will remember the 2012 transit of Venus as the key experience that influenced their career choice. On the Transit of Venus Project’s website, you will find a new page with a selection of the best educational projects and recourses you can readily use in your classroom. Next to the actual observation of the transit on June 5 and 6, 2012, we also offer many opportunities to make your students acquainted with celestial mechanics, the history of astronomy and today’s scientific frontiers. We would like to keep our survey up to date of high standard. If you know of any new, promising initiatives, or if you are working on educational material yourself, just let us know.
I invite you to join our group on Facebook to keep in touch with other transit enthusiasts. If this email was forwarded to you, and you too would like to receive our monthly newsletter, just send an email to info@transitofvenus.nl and we’ll keep you in the loop.