Transit of Venus

If you haven't heard, there's a very cool astronomical event taking place on June 5th.  On this evening, the entire U.S. will be able to observe the transit of Venus. This means that Venus will pass directly in front of the Sun relative to us.  If you have access to a telescope you'll see a small dot on the Sun.  This may not seem impressive, but this will be your (and your kids') only chance to observe this event in your lifetime.  If you miss this transit, the next one is in 2117, 105 years from now!!!  Below is an image from the NRAO of the last transit of Venus in 2004.

This is an excellent opportunity to expose your kids to astronomy.  Nothing beats the smile on a child when they look through a telescope for the first time or see something they've never seen before.  Check your local colleges and astronomy clubs for public viewing events.