Significant Events

[diesel]

For those of you who are unaware, 2012 is the year of some very significant events.

A total solar eclipse will occur on November 14th with the best viewing platform in the Cairns and lower Cape York area.

In less than a fortnight on June 6th a transit of Venus will occur and this is a very rare event.

Transits of Venus occur in a pattern that repeats every 243 years with pairs of transits eight years apart separated by gaps of 121½ years and 105½ years. Venus and the Earth are aligned in the same direction out from the Sun about every 584 days (this is called in conjunction), however a transit does not occur each time because Venus’s orbit is usually above or below the Sun in the sky.
Since the phenomena was first recognized there have only been six transits of Venus – 1639, 1761, 1769, 1874, 1882 and the most recent one in 2004. The 6th June 2012 transit is our last opportunity to observe a transit of Venus, as the next event occurs on 11th December 2117.

The 1769 transit has a vital historical connection to Australia. Lieutenant James Cook was dispatched to Tahiti on HMS Endeavour to observe the transit. After a successful observation he was directed to search for the “great south land” thought to exist in the South Pacific Ocean and following that search he discovered and charted the east coast of Australia.

For the transit of 6th June 2012, Venus will take about six and a half hours to travel across the face of the Sun commencing at 0816 hrs AEST. Australia is one of the best places on Earth from which to observe the transit as the entire transit will be visible from eastern and central Australia. The transit will have started before sunrise for those observing from Western Australia.

Never look directly at the Sun or you may cause serious and permanent damage to your eyesight. Damage can occur without any feeling that there is something wrong as there are no pain receptors in the retina and the damage may not become apparent for some time.

The best ways to observe are by searching the internet for live webcast or by projection using binoculars or a telescope. This involves projecting an image of the Sun through binoculars or a telescope onto a card. Note that with these projection methods you must always look only at the projected images (usually with your back towards the Sun). You must ensure that the second tube of the binoculars and any telescope finderscope are blocked and no one looks through the telescope or binoculars as this could result in instant blindness.

above info referenced from: http://www.transitofvenus.com.au/HOME.html

The third significant event of the year will be Qld taking out it's 7th State of Origin in a row and last but not least the Bombers will win the AFL flag, but we all know this don't we?

diesel 

[Jamo]

Diesel, There are other significant events you missed to mention.

1. My two boys who have both left school tidying there rooms without being asked. For this to occur simultaneously it is statistically impossible.
2. Another significant even would be for Collingwood to win the flag without their supporters boasting about it ... again statistically impossible.
3. Finally, and most important would be the significant event of us finally getting a weekend without rain so I can go fossicking!   

[mehoose]

Solution to number 1, they leave home but this will still result in their dirty washing hogging your clothesline.
Now for the other gender, leaving home means their old bedroom becomes their walk in robe which only gets frequented every other day but you still get their washing hogging the line.
Wanna trade?

[Jamo]

Solution to number 1, they leave home but this will still result in their dirty washing hogging your clothesline.
Now for the other gender, leaving home means their old bedroom becomes their walk in robe which only gets frequented every other day but you still get their washing hogging the line.
Wanna trade?

Before you get too excited about trading, I also have a daughter in between the boys who uses the large walk in robe/bed room. Although I think the messiest at home is probably myself with the garage stuffed with rocks and assorted tools. I get excited once in a while and tidy it up, but alas it soon falls back into a state of entropy!

[mehoose]

LOL, you mean it looks productive

[Jamo]

That's what I said, wasn't it? Or What I should have said. LOL 

[JudyC]

I am a newbie here and to lapidary.
I am looking forward to the eclipse, I live in the viewing area. Hoping the cloud cover is non existant.
I didn't do the kids washing. I had my own job to go to.

Cheers
Judy

[Jamo]

Welcome to the forum Judy. I guess watching one big chunk of rock pass in front of another fits the lapidary hobby. Hope the weathers clear for you.

[chookie2]

Welcome Judy , Lucky you to be so close to so many potential good 'finds'.
Just imagine the rocks we could collect if those two big rocks up there  bumped into each other ...just a little !!  Happy astronomy.