That's almost a full minute of arc- and larger than Jupiter usually appears, if that helps folks visualize. Another way of looking at it is that Venus can appear about 1/30 the diameter of the sun during a transit- no wonder you saw it visually. With this in mind, one can see why certain sharp-eyed individuals can see the crescent phase of Venus visually. When at crescent phase, Venus is very close to superior conjunction, and thus almost as large diametrically as possible. Superior conjunction is also when transits can take place. Neat! --- Jim Cobb <james@cobbzilla.net> wrote:
Venus' disk during transit is considerably larger (58 arcseconds during the 2004 transit) because it is a larger planet, and because it is so much closer to earth at transit. It is visible naked eye (with proper protection). I happened to be in Boston on that date and saw it using eclipse glasses.
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