VENUS 2012! It's phases, transit, whereabouts PART 2

Venus 2012 credit: KTY Toutatis

VENUS 2012 

Venus reaches its maximum brightness shortly before sunrise or shortly after sunset, for which reason it has been known as the Morning Star or Evening Star. Venus "overtakes" the Earth every 584 days as it orbits the Sun. As it does so, it changes from the "Evening star", visible after sunset, to the "Morning star", visible before sunrise.

- Phases of Venus 2012- 
As I posted in the last post VENUS 2012! It's phases, transit, whereabouts PART 1, the Phases of Venus are a real challenge for folks with telescopes. Here are some important dates that you will want to follow.
As the phases of the Moon, Venus also achieve Gibbous, half and crescent phases.
23.02. @ 23:00UT  Venus is 66,5% of full. (Gibbous Venus)
29.03. @ 12:00UT  Venus is 50% of full. (Half Venus)
03.05 @ 03:30UT Venus is 25% of full. (Crescent of Venus)
See HERE the Venus phase calculator.

 - Transit of Venus 2012 -
A transit of Venus across the Sun takes place when the planet Venus passes directly between the Sun and Earth, becoming visible against (and hence obscuring a small portion of) the solar disk. During a transit, Venus can be seen from Earth as a small black disk moving across the face of the Sun. The duration of such transits is usually measured in hours (the transit of 2004 lasted six hours).
This year it will last 6 hours 49 minutes and 40 sec. Check Local transit times at transitofvenus.nl

The transit of Venus on our Sun's disk this coming June 5 and 6  is a one time opportunity to see this phenomena. (calculate your location HERE by Xavier M Jubier)
We will follow up on the transit of Venus in these upcoming post of VENUS 2012. Stay tuned. 

 - Whereabouts of Venus 2012 -
If you are lost or confused and don't really know where to look for Venus in the first place, just follow the Sunset and just at the left (East) of the setting Sun is in the sky a real bright dot, (star like). If you see it, you will truly know it is Venus, shining like no other. Just to be on the safe side, you will noticed in this month of February-March another bright dot (star like) just at the left (more east) of it, shining brightly also. This one is Jupiter the third brightest object in the night sky after the Moon and Venus. So here you have it! Now you know where to start to be in the game!

Follow us through Venus 2012 cycles and see true wonders. Good luck and clear skies.

Click HERE to read the 3nd post of our journey through astronomy in Enontekiö, Lappland.

info: Transitofvenus.org