Featured Map for 5 June 2012:
Transit of Venus 2012

The transit of a planet occurs when the planet passes between the viewer and the face of the Sun. Viewed from Earth, only transits of Mercury and Venus are possible. Venus, being relative large and close to Earth, creates a discernable, circular spot on the face of the Sun. These rare events occur in pairs, separated by eight years, with more than a century between one pair and the next. The second in a pair occurs today, starting at 22:09:38 UTC.

Today's Featured Map, created by NASA (not using the Great Circle Mapper), shows when and where today's transit of Venus will be visible.

Global Visibility of the Transit of Venus of 5-6 June 2012

• Region X – Beginning and end of Transit are visible, but the Sun sets for a short period around maximum transit.
• Region Y – Beginning and end of Transit are NOT visible, but the Sun rises for a short period around maximum transit.

References and additional information:

• Transit of Venus, Sun-Earth Day 2012 – NASA
• 2012 Transit of Venus – NASA/GSFC
• 2004 and 2012 Transits of Venus – NASA/GSFC
• Venus Transit of 2012 – National Solar Observatory
• Rare Transit of Venus: How to Watch Online – Space.com
• Transit of Venus.org

(The Sun image in today's logo was taken by NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) on 27 September 2008; see Spotless Sun: Blankest Year of the Space Age.)