Transit of Venus Viewable in Princeton Tonight

ByKrystal Knapp Updated

The planet of Venus will glide across the front of the sun tonight, a rare event that will not happen again in this century.

The planet’s passage in front of the sun, known as the “Transit of Venus,” will begin around 6 p.m. and will continue for 6 hours and 40 minutes.

Venus will appear as a little black dot on the surface of the sun. The event is much rarer than a solar eclipse, even though it may not look as impressive.

In order to watch the transit safely, you must wear eclipse glasses or watch it through a telescope that filters the sunlight. Looking straight into the sun without protection can lead to permanent eye damage.

NASA’s website also had a directory of live webcasts where you can check out how the transit appears in various locations across the globe.

For more information and any updates on the viewing times you can also visit www.transitofvenus.nl.

Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.