Tonight, Tuesday night, from 6 PM until about 8:30 PM, will be the 54th transit of Venus since the year 2000 BC. It's a family-friendly event in Brooklyn, and an incredible teachable moment.
What is Venus in Transit?
It doesn't describe a subway ride. The transit of Venus refers to the alignment of Venus, the earth and the sun, all on the same plane. Don't watch it with the naked eye; the blinding light could be dangerous. The last one occurred in 2004, but the next won't happen until 2117, when most of us won't be around to witness it.
All you need is a clear view of the sunset (repeat: don't look directly at it; protect your eyes from possible damage).
Where to See the Venus in Transit Event in Brooklyn
To see this Venus in transit in Brooklyn head to a place where you can see the sunset from 6 - 8:25 tonight.
- Where to view transit of Venus in Brooklyn (places you can see the sun set)
- Where to see transit of Venus in Manhattan
Manhattan's Museum of National History, where there will be a projection of NASA's live-streamed webcast, broadcast from an observatory in Hawaii, starting at 5:30 Eastern standard time. Some viewing points with telescopes are spotted around the city, for instance at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum at 12th Avenue and 46th Street, Riverside Park near 68th Street, outside Columbia University on 125th and Adam Clayton Powell Blvd., and on the High Line Park, but none in Brooklyn.
Even if you don't actually witness Venus in transit (the weather might obscure the view, anyway), what an incredible teachable moment for parents, children--and everyone, in fact.
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