Come to the UCI Observatory and see the transit of Venus when the planet Venus travels across the face of the Sun! Observing the transit of Venus allowed astronomers to measure the scale of our Solar System. It's a very rare astronomical event that won't occur again until 2117. The transit begins at 3:06 pm and lasts until the Sun sets at 8 pm. We will be projecting the image of the Sun through numerous telescopes onto screens so everyone can get a glimpse in real time, we'll have telescopes equiped with solar filters, and we'll sell "solar eclipse glasses" for $2, so you can view the transit safely. Also, come and take a walk through our scale model Solar System and learn more about planets. Stay after the Sun sets and to take a look at the planets Saturn and Mars through our telescopes.

Visitor Nights are open to the public so feel free to forward this message along to friends and neighbors who might be interested. Visitor Nights are free of charge, although we suggest a $5 donation per family to defray the costs, and parking on campus costs $2/hr or a maximum of $8.  No reservations are required.  They are fun for the entire family - children, teens, parents and grandparents. We heartily encourage amateur astronomers to bring along their own telescopes to share with our visitors.

Unlike normal Visitor Nights, there will be no shuttle bus for this day-time event. Visitors should walk up the hill to the intersection of California Ave. and Gabrielino Dr. and take a left on the gravel road that leads to the Observatory. This walk takes approximately 15 minutes. Note that parking is not allowed on the streets in the University Hills neighborhood where the Observatory is located. Only cars transporting telescope equipment or a handicapped person will be permitted to drive on the road leading out to the Observatory for safety reasons.

For information on this event (including tips for viewing the transit of Venus from home) or to obtain a flyer or get driving & parking directions, etc., please see http://www.physics.uci.edu/%7Eobservat/#visnite.