Transit of Venus, Sun-Earth Day 2012

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Goddard Space Flight Center

Transit of Venus, Sun-Earth Day 2012

Observing Certificate Program Parallax Activity

Method 1 - Angular Diameter Distance
    Assumptions:
  • Diameter of the Sun - 0.5244 degrees
  • Diameter of Venus - 12,600 kilometers
  • Earth-Venus distance in Astronomical Units = 0.28
  1. Step 1 - Select an image of the Transit of Venus from the GALLERY
  2. Step 2 - Measure the diameter of the sun in millimeters
  3. Step 3 - Measure the diameter of Venus in millimeters
  4. Step 4 - Enter your measurements to the nearest millimeter below:
Enter your measurements below:
  1. mm
  2. mm

  3. V = 0.5244 ×
    B
    _A
    =

  4. D = 12,600 ×
    57.2958
    _V
    =

  5. 1 AU = ( D / 0.28 ) =



NASA Fact

The August 4, 1972 solar flare was so powerful that, by some estimates, a spacesuited astronaut would have received a lethal does of radiation.