.::සිකුරු සංක්රාන්තිය 2012.06.06{Once In A Life Time}::.
~~~Once In A lifetime: Transit Of Venus Puts On Spectacular Show For The Last Time Until 2117~~~
Stargazers from across the globe gathered together to watch one of the rarest astronomical spectacles today.
From the U.S. and UK to South Korea, people around the world turned their attention to the daytime sky to make sure they caught the planet Venus passing directly between the sun and Earth - a transit that won't occur again for another 105 years.
The transit of Venus happens in pairs eight years apart - but then with more than a century between cycles.
During the pass, Venus appears as a small, dark round spot moving across the face of the sun, like a bug on a dinner plate.
Enthralling: Venus is silhouetted as it crosses in front of the sun as it sets behind the Kansas City, Missouri skyline on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Planet Venus is seen as a black dot as it transits across the Sun during sunrise in Sofia, Bulgaria on June 6, 2012
The transit of Venus taken from Burton Dassett between Stratford Upon Avon and Banbury, UK
Venus is seen transiting across the Sun on June 6, 2012 outside Sarajevo
The planet Venus passes in front of the Sun as seen during the sunrise behind the Bratislava Castle in Bratislava, Slovakia, 06 June 2012
'If you can see the mole on Cindy Crawford's face, you can see Venus,' Van Webster, a member of the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, told anyone who stopped by his telescope for a peek on Mount Hollywood.
For astronomers, the transit wasn't just a rare planetary spectacle. It was also one of those events they hoped would spark curiosity about the universe and our place in it.
Sul Ah Chim, a researcher at the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute in South Korea, said he hoped people see life from a larger perspective, and 'not get caught up in their small, everyday problems.'
'When you think about it from the context of the universe, 105 years is a very short period of time and the Earth is only a small, pale blue spot,' he said.
While astronomers used the latest technology to document the transit, American astronaut Don Pettit aboard the International Space Station attempted to take the clearest-ever photos of the event and post them online.
A composite sequence photo of the steps of the entire transit of Venus seen over the sky of Seoul, South Korea, 6 June 2012.
Dramatic: This image provided by NASA shows the Solar Dynamic Observatory's ultra-high definition view of Venus on it's transit, an event which will not occur for another 105 years
Impressive: This image provided by NASA shows the Solar Dynamic Observatory's ultra-high definition view of Venus, black dot at top center, passing in front of the sun on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Bright: This is just one frame of an astonishing short video put online by NASA of Venus passing the sun
Monumental: The planet Venus passes in front of the sun as it begins to set behind the Goddess of Liberty atop the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, left, and near the KCPL building in downtown Kansas City, Mo, right
Scene: A view of the Sun as the planet Venus passes in between the Sun and the Earth in New York, New York, USA, 05 June 2012.
Meanwhile, terrestrial stargazers were warned to only look at the celestial event with a properly filtered telescope or cardboard eclipse glasses. If the sun is viewed directly, permanent eye damage could result.
In Los Angeles, throngs jammed Mount Hollywood where the Griffith Observatory rolled out the red carpet for Venus. The last time the city witnessed a Venus transit was 130 years ago in 1882. A 2004 transit was not visible from the western U.S.
Telescopes with special filters were set up next to the lawn and people took turns peering at the sun before and during the transit. Astronomers and volunteers lectured about the rarity of a Venus pass to anyone who would listen.
Minutes before Venus first touched the outer edge of the sun, Sousa's 'Transit Of Venus March' blared through. The crowd turned their attention skyward. For nearly 18 minutes, Venus appeared as a black spot.
Jamie Jetton took the day off from work to bring her two nephews, six and 11, visiting from Arizona to the observatory. Sporting eclipse glasses, it took a little while before they spotted Venus.
'I'm still having fun. It's an experience. It's something we'll talk about for the rest of our lives,' she said.
The transit of Venus taken from Burton Dassett between Stratford Upon Avon and Banbury, UK - Venus has made a spectacular transit across the sun in a rare event that wont be witnesse again for over a hundred years.
Venus crosses the sun from an observation point in Pakistan on June 6, 2012
Worldwide fascination: The planet Venus makes its transit across the Sun as seen from Kathmandu on June 6, 2012
Morning breaks: An observer looks through a telescope during sunrise in Vienna
Mesmerising: Spectators at Edgewater Park in Cleveland watch the sun set as the planet Venus crosses the upper right portion of the star, Tuesday, June 5, 2012
The U.S.: The planet Venus makes a transit as a person watches the sun set over the Great Salt Lake outside Salt Lake City, Utah, June 5, 2012
Spectacular: The planet Venus can be seen on its transit of the Sun, from Beijing
Last-in-a-lifetime: In this photo made using a red filter, Venus begins to pass in front of the sun, as visible from from Overland Park, Kan. on Tuesday
Impressive: A bird sits atop one of the domes of the landmark Taj Mahal as Venus, top left, begins to pass in front of the sun, as visible from Agra, India, Wednesday, June 6, 2012
The planet Venus makes its transit across the Sun as seen from Kathmandu
Venus is seen as a dot as it transits across the Sun on June 6, 2012 outside Sarajevo
Show: The planet Venus crosses the upper right portion of the sun as seen from Edgewater Park in Cleveland on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Rarity: A view of the Sun as the planet Venus passes in between the Sun and the Earth in New York, New York, USA, 05 June 2012
Drawing near: In this handout image provided by NASA, the SDO satellite captures the approach of Venus before it transits across the face of the sun on June 5, 2012 from space
Rare: Handout image courtesy of NASA shows the planet Venus at the start of its transit of the Sun, June 5, 2012. One of the rarest astronomical events occurs on Tuesday and Wednesday when Venus passes directly between the sun and Earth, a transit that won't occur again until 2117
Spectacle: Venus begins to pass in front of the sun, as visible from New York, Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Vision: Venus, upper right, transits the sun as seen through a dark glass from Quito, Ecuador, Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Sight: Venus (top, R) crosses the sun's face as seen from Havana on June 5, 2012.
Special: The small black dot seen at the top right of the sun is the planet Venus, as it transits across the face of the sun Tuesday, June 5, 2012, as seen from Mt. Trashmore in Virginia Beach, Va.
Stargazers from across the globe gathered together to watch one of the rarest astronomical spectacles today.
From the U.S. and UK to South Korea, people around the world turned their attention to the daytime sky to make sure they caught the planet Venus passing directly between the sun and Earth - a transit that won't occur again for another 105 years.
The transit of Venus happens in pairs eight years apart - but then with more than a century between cycles.
During the pass, Venus appears as a small, dark round spot moving across the face of the sun, like a bug on a dinner plate.
Enthralling: Venus is silhouetted as it crosses in front of the sun as it sets behind the Kansas City, Missouri skyline on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Planet Venus is seen as a black dot as it transits across the Sun during sunrise in Sofia, Bulgaria on June 6, 2012
The transit of Venus taken from Burton Dassett between Stratford Upon Avon and Banbury, UK
Venus is seen transiting across the Sun on June 6, 2012 outside Sarajevo
The planet Venus passes in front of the Sun as seen during the sunrise behind the Bratislava Castle in Bratislava, Slovakia, 06 June 2012
'If you can see the mole on Cindy Crawford's face, you can see Venus,' Van Webster, a member of the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, told anyone who stopped by his telescope for a peek on Mount Hollywood.
For astronomers, the transit wasn't just a rare planetary spectacle. It was also one of those events they hoped would spark curiosity about the universe and our place in it.
Sul Ah Chim, a researcher at the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute in South Korea, said he hoped people see life from a larger perspective, and 'not get caught up in their small, everyday problems.'
'When you think about it from the context of the universe, 105 years is a very short period of time and the Earth is only a small, pale blue spot,' he said.
While astronomers used the latest technology to document the transit, American astronaut Don Pettit aboard the International Space Station attempted to take the clearest-ever photos of the event and post them online.
A composite sequence photo of the steps of the entire transit of Venus seen over the sky of Seoul, South Korea, 6 June 2012.
Dramatic: This image provided by NASA shows the Solar Dynamic Observatory's ultra-high definition view of Venus on it's transit, an event which will not occur for another 105 years
Impressive: This image provided by NASA shows the Solar Dynamic Observatory's ultra-high definition view of Venus, black dot at top center, passing in front of the sun on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Bright: This is just one frame of an astonishing short video put online by NASA of Venus passing the sun
Monumental: The planet Venus passes in front of the sun as it begins to set behind the Goddess of Liberty atop the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, left, and near the KCPL building in downtown Kansas City, Mo, right
Scene: A view of the Sun as the planet Venus passes in between the Sun and the Earth in New York, New York, USA, 05 June 2012.
Meanwhile, terrestrial stargazers were warned to only look at the celestial event with a properly filtered telescope or cardboard eclipse glasses. If the sun is viewed directly, permanent eye damage could result.
In Los Angeles, throngs jammed Mount Hollywood where the Griffith Observatory rolled out the red carpet for Venus. The last time the city witnessed a Venus transit was 130 years ago in 1882. A 2004 transit was not visible from the western U.S.
Telescopes with special filters were set up next to the lawn and people took turns peering at the sun before and during the transit. Astronomers and volunteers lectured about the rarity of a Venus pass to anyone who would listen.
Minutes before Venus first touched the outer edge of the sun, Sousa's 'Transit Of Venus March' blared through. The crowd turned their attention skyward. For nearly 18 minutes, Venus appeared as a black spot.
Jamie Jetton took the day off from work to bring her two nephews, six and 11, visiting from Arizona to the observatory. Sporting eclipse glasses, it took a little while before they spotted Venus.
'I'm still having fun. It's an experience. It's something we'll talk about for the rest of our lives,' she said.
The transit of Venus taken from Burton Dassett between Stratford Upon Avon and Banbury, UK - Venus has made a spectacular transit across the sun in a rare event that wont be witnesse again for over a hundred years.
Venus crosses the sun from an observation point in Pakistan on June 6, 2012
Worldwide fascination: The planet Venus makes its transit across the Sun as seen from Kathmandu on June 6, 2012
Morning breaks: An observer looks through a telescope during sunrise in Vienna
Mesmerising: Spectators at Edgewater Park in Cleveland watch the sun set as the planet Venus crosses the upper right portion of the star, Tuesday, June 5, 2012
The U.S.: The planet Venus makes a transit as a person watches the sun set over the Great Salt Lake outside Salt Lake City, Utah, June 5, 2012
Spectacular: The planet Venus can be seen on its transit of the Sun, from Beijing
Last-in-a-lifetime: In this photo made using a red filter, Venus begins to pass in front of the sun, as visible from from Overland Park, Kan. on Tuesday
Impressive: A bird sits atop one of the domes of the landmark Taj Mahal as Venus, top left, begins to pass in front of the sun, as visible from Agra, India, Wednesday, June 6, 2012
The planet Venus makes its transit across the Sun as seen from Kathmandu
Venus is seen as a dot as it transits across the Sun on June 6, 2012 outside Sarajevo
Show: The planet Venus crosses the upper right portion of the sun as seen from Edgewater Park in Cleveland on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Rarity: A view of the Sun as the planet Venus passes in between the Sun and the Earth in New York, New York, USA, 05 June 2012
Drawing near: In this handout image provided by NASA, the SDO satellite captures the approach of Venus before it transits across the face of the sun on June 5, 2012 from space
Rare: Handout image courtesy of NASA shows the planet Venus at the start of its transit of the Sun, June 5, 2012. One of the rarest astronomical events occurs on Tuesday and Wednesday when Venus passes directly between the sun and Earth, a transit that won't occur again until 2117
Spectacle: Venus begins to pass in front of the sun, as visible from New York, Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Vision: Venus, upper right, transits the sun as seen through a dark glass from Quito, Ecuador, Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Sight: Venus (top, R) crosses the sun's face as seen from Havana on June 5, 2012.
Special: The small black dot seen at the top right of the sun is the planet Venus, as it transits across the face of the sun Tuesday, June 5, 2012, as seen from Mt. Trashmore in Virginia Beach, Va.
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