Measuring the Universe

A new exhibition in the Astronomy Centre (adm free) marks a rare astronomical event, the 2012 transit of Venus. Transits take place only when Venus passes directly between the Earth and the Sun, appearing as tiny black dot against the bright solar disk. The next will be in 105 years, in December 2117. ‘Measuring the Universe: from the transit of Venus to the edge of the cosmos’ looks at how in previous centuries, astronomers used these rare transits to measure the distance to the sun, giving us the first inkling of the enormity of the cosmos. The museum has organised a programme of talks, planetarium shows and other events in the run-up to the transit, which will take place on June 5 or 6, depending on your location. The entire event will take about six hours 40min and it’s essential to protect your eyes properly when viewing it.