Venus crosses the Sun

On June 8, 2004, two of the sky’s most brilliant objects will meet as Venus transits the face of the Sun. Weather permitting, the best spots to observe the transit from will be Europe, Africa, and Asia — from where the entire 6-hour event will be visible. The beginning of the transit will be seen from Japan, the Philippines, and Australia, but the Sun will set before the event ends. Observers in eastern North America, the Caribbean, and most of South America will see only the end of the event after the Sun rises.