Sketching the transit of Venus 8th June 2004

My account of Sketching the transit of Venus on 8th June 2004 at the 3rd and 4th contact.

On June 8, 2004 I had a wonderful opportunity to observe transit of Venus from Tehran for this I thank my friend Dr Mansour Vaisali 

What follows is from my account form my journal  and sketches which I made with my comments.  I made some quick sketches on a small notebook with pen and made notes. Then after the event made the refined sketches.I have no specialize training in sketching  but have been trying my hand.  I had used 2H pencil to make the sketches.


Year (2004) Month 6 Date 8

"Its a transit day. Manosur called me at 7:30 a.m. or so and asked me to be at the Sharif University (the place where he had put me in)  gate by about 9:15 a..m. He arrived at 9:20. We first went to Nojum office and collected a telescope and some Nojum magazines and went to a Pardisan Park (Park-e'-Jangali-ye-Pardisan) where they have a bio-diversity museum.  We quickly set up the telescope and magazine/Nojum stall and were ready for the transit to begin 09:48 (Iran time).  After the second contact life was relaxed - not too many people came - the total may have been close to about 300 not more. Met some very nice people who visited us.  There was a TV crew - spoke to the camera.

Since the crowd was less and just about 20 odd people at the 3rd contact I decided to observe the transit and sketch the progress between 3rd and 4th contact. 

After the contact we went back to Nojum Office - A meeting was arranged with some official.  But before their arrival I had enough time (more than 30 min) to make my first basic sketches. 

In some sense it was a busy day for me but one of the relaxed one too - no dinner tonight. We picked up some food and Mansour dropped me at the University by about 9:30 p.m. and then I took about an hour completing my sketches."


Transit of Venus
Predictions for Tehran, Iran
Contact time (Iran) Alt
First 09:48 46
Second 10:07 50
Mid 12:15 77
Third 15:32 55
Forth 15:51 51

While making the sketches I had concentrated only that area where Venus was touching the solar limb. Though I 'looked around' I did not bother to sketch any other features such as sunspots nor do I remember if I saw any.

The time recorded was Tehran time but again was not very important  It took me about 10 to 12 seconds to make a quick rough drawing and write time.
 Drawings and notes
 The telescope : Refactor 80 mm / f 900, 

Eye piece 34 mm
Angular diameter of Venus was 57.74"

In the sketched below - the sun is white, the sky and silhouetted Venus are dark.

Could it be possible that I was looking at scattered sunlight form the upper atmosphere of Venus

Sketch  0       (not here)  
           15:28:30 Can't say seeing black drop - black line joining Venus and the limb of the Sun

Sketch #1
About 3 min before the third contact at 15:29 the solar limb appears to be pushed up. Angular diameter of Venus was 57.74"


Sketch #2
Just about a minute before the 3rd contact (15:32) at 15:31:03 noted that there were two arms at side of Venus, as if two side black drops and there was a distinct curved white gap between the sun and Venus

 Sketch 3
15:31:30 may be black drop
The a 30 second prior to the third contact (15:32) at 15:31:03 noted possibly the black drop.

Sketch #4
Now this is interesting - Venus is just touching the limb of the Sun, the  sky is dark of course and I see a distinct white curve shimmering just above the solar limb, as if the solar limb is pushed up.

Sketch #5
This looked very much like the sun is setting over the sea. The points where the Venus' disk was touching the solar limb appeared to be curved outwards.

Sketch #6
15:35:00 - it is like sunset as in sketch 5 above but the shimmering upper portion as in sketch 4 is gone now.

Sketch #7
I now see a touch between the boundaries of silhouetted Venus and the Sun

Sketch #8
15:38:30 again a little curving like that in #6

Strong wind is shaking the telescope
Changed the eye piece to 12.5 mm
15:43:00 Venus is half gone

Sketch #9
Saw the advancing limb of Venus outside the solar limb as a white line making an arc - first I thought that it was a trick played by my eyes but then there were two very clear instances of this observations so I sketched this.

Sketch #10
15:44:30 -  It is not a half circle any more but kind of two white curves from either sides

Sketch  #11
15:45:15 and 15:45:47 One more clear upper (half) ring and one shimmering for just for half a second or so.  Fourth contact was at 15:51

Sketch #12
We are nearing the 4th contact  (15:51) and 3 min prior to that at 15:48 I see one more instance of the upper shimmering

Sketch #13

A very clear notch was seen - the instances 12 and 13 were almost like mirror images but in negative.

Its gone now

Two pages from my note book on which I made my quick sketches
Pages form my small note book