Next MCS meeting to discuss the heavens
These are rare events, with TOM happening about 13 times in 100 years and TOV occurring every 120 years.
When planet Mercury passes between Earth and the sun, the phenomenon is known as the transit of Mercury (TOM).
The same applies to the planet Venus (TOV).
These are rare events, with TOM happening about 13 times in 100 years and TOV occurring every 120 years.
On May 9, a TOM will occur and to prepare you for this, Professor John Shochot will make a presentation at the next Modderfontein Conservation Society meeting.
The meeting will take place on April 21 in the Modderfontein Town Hall, 1 Casino Road at 7:30pm. Prof Shochot will discuss why TOM and TOV are important, some of the tales of their observations and the South African connection.
“The first observation of TOM was in 1631, but astronomer Johannes Kepler predicted this event some time before that,” said Prof Shochot.
“Many famous astronomers have participated in these observations and there are interesting stories about them. South Africa has a proud history of astronomy, starting with the Royal Observatory Cape of Good Hope up to the present, with the South African Large Telescope (SALT) at Sutherland and the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) in the Northern Cape’s Karoo,” he said.
Prof Shochot, a resident of Thornhill Estate in Modderfontein, lectured at Wits University for 30 years, during which time he was a part-time narrator at the Johannesburg planetarium for about seven years.
He has conducted many astronomical tours to some remote places in his observation of the heavens above.
Visitors are welcome to attend the talk.
For more information, call Mr Peter Olive on 011 608 2799 or 083 461 6221.
