Katalog přechodu Venuše přes Slunce

 

A transit is the passage of a planet across the Sun's bright disk. At this time, the planet can be seen as a small black disk slowly moving in front of the Sun. The orbits of Mercury and Venus lie inside Earth's orbit, so they are the only planets which can pass between Earth and Sun to produce a transit. Transits are very rare astronomical events. In the case of Venus, there are on average two transits every one and a quarter centuries. A transit of Venus occurs only if the planet is in inferior conjunction with the Sun (between Earth and Sun) and is also crossing the through Earth's orbital plane (the Ecliptic). During the present period in Earth's history, Venus's orbit crosses Earth's orbital plane in early June and early December each year. If the Venus is passing between the Earth and Sun at that time, a transit will be seen.

During the six millennium period 2000 BCE to 4000 CE1, Earth experiences 81 transits of Venus across the Sun. These events can be organized into two groups:

                                All Transits =  81  = 100.0%

                      June (Descending Node2) =  44  =  54.3 %
                   December (Ascending Node3) =  37  =  45.7 %

When a transit of Venus occurs, a second one often follows eight years later. This is because the orbital periods of Venus (224.701 days) and Earth (365.256 days) are in an 8 year (2922 days) resonance with each other. In other words, in the time it takes Earth to orbit the Sun eight times, Venus completes almost exactly thirteen revolutions about the Sun. As a result, Venus and Earth line up in the same positions with respect to the Sun. Actually, the two orbital periods are not quite commensurate with each other since Venus arrives at the eight year rendezvous about 2.45 days earlier that Earth. After the third eight-year cycle, Venus arrives too early for a transit to occur.

The next transit season occurs either 105.5 years or 121.5 years later at the opposite node of Venus' orbit. Once again, a pair of transits will often occur separated by eight years. This recurrence pattern of 8 + 105.5 + 8 + 121.5 years can be seen repeating itself in the catalog of Venus transits. An example of the pattern can be seen in the transits of 1631, 1639, 1761, 1769, 1874, 1882, 2004 and 2012. Occasionally, one of the eight year "double-transits" may disappear from the catalog for several centuries because one of them is a near miss. For instance, note the "missing" transits of 1388, 1145, 0902, 0659, 0416, etc..

A useful way to organize the transits is by grouping them into series where each member of a series is separated by 88,756 days or 243 years (= sum of 8 + 105.5 + 8 + 121.5 years). Thus, the transits of 1518, 1761 and 2004 would belong to one series, while the transits of 1639, 1882 and 2125 would belong to another series. Such transit series are quite long-lived and may last 5,000 years or more. For example, Series 4 (December at Ascending Node) began in -1763 (1764 BCE) and will run through 2854 (a grazing transit) for a total of 20 transits spanning 4617 years. These transit families are quite analogous to the Saros series for solar and lunar eclipses.

The position of the orbital nodes of Venus with respect to Earth are slowly changing with time. Five thousand years ago, transits occurred around May 21 and November 19. At present, the transits occur within a day of June 7 and December 9. In about 1500 years, the transits will occur during Earth's solstices (June 21 and December 22). This trend in the shift of transit dates is readily apparent in the catalog below. Over a period of approximately eighty thousand years, the transit dates will migrate forward one complete cycle through the seasons.

The following catalog contains predictions for every transit of Venus during the six thousand year interval 2000 BCE through 4000 CE. The information for each transit in the catalog is summarized as follows. The calendar date6 and geocentric Universal Time7 of the four transit contacts8 and the instant of greatest transit9 are found in the first six columns. The Sun's coordinates (Right Ascension and Declination) and the Greenwich Sidereal Time at 00:00 UT are given next. The minimum separation between the centers of Venus and the Sun is listed in arc-seconds. Finally the transit series10 is given.

The individual columns in each table are described in greater detail in the Key to Transit Catalogs.

 

Footnotes

  • 1 The terms BCE and CE are abbreviations for "Before Common Era" and "Common Era," respectively. They are the secular equivalents to the BC and AD dating conventions. (See: Year Dating Conventions )
    2 The descending node is the point along a planet's orbit where it crosses the ecliptic (Earth's orbital plane) from north to south.
    3 The ascending node is the point along a planet's orbit where it crosses the ecliptic (Earth's orbital plane) from south to north.
    4 Aphelion is the most distant point from the Sun along a planet's elliptical orbit.
    5 Perihelion is the closest point from the Sun along a planet's elliptical orbit.
    6 The calendar date is given for the instant of greatest transit. The Gregorian calendar is used for all dates beginning 1582 Oct 15; before that date, the Julian calendar is used. Due to the Gregorian Calendar reform, the day after 1582 Oct 04 (Julian calendar) is 1582 Oct 15 (Gregorian calendar). Note that Great Britain did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until 1752. For more information, see Julian and Gregorian Calendars.
    7 For most practical purposes, Universal Time (UT) is equivalent to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
    8 The four transit contact times are defined as follows:
    • Contact I - The instant when the planet's disk is externally tangent to the Sun (transit begins).
    • Contact II - The entire disk of the planet is first seen when the planet is internally tangent to the Sun.
    • Contact III - The planet reaches the opposite limb and is once again internally tangent to the Sun.
    • Contact IV - The planet's disk is externally tangent to the Sun (transit ends).
      Contacts I and II define the phase called ingress while contacts III and IV are known as egress.
    9 Greatest transit is defined as the instant when the planet passes closest to the center of the Sun as seen from the center of Earth.
    10 Over the six millennium period of this catalog, transits of Venus can be organized into six series. The transits in any one series recur with a 243 year period. The series numbers have been assigned in chronological order with respect to the first transit in each series. Transit series with an odd number occur at Venus' descending node (May/June) while series with an even number occur at Venus' ascending node (November/December).
 

	

	
Transits of Venus

	Six Millennium Catalog: 2000 BCE to 0001 BCE

	(Astronomical Years: -1999 to 0000)

	
                      Transit Contact Times (UT)
                -------------------------------------  Minimum   Sun      Sun           Transit
     Date         I      II   Greatest   III     IV      Sep.     RA      Dec     GST   Series
                 h:m     h:m     h:m     h:m     h:m      "       h        °       h

 -1998 Nov 18   07:34   07:51   11:20   14:50   15:07   374.0   14.541  -15.31    2.665    2 
 -1892 May 21   16:18   16:37   19:26   22:15   22:35   617.5    2.721   16.16   14.879    1 
 -1884 May 19   09:08   09:26   12:30   15:34   15:52   545.4    2.581   15.50   14.733    3 
 -1763 Nov 20   21:46     -     22:56     -     00:06   966.6   14.831  -16.65    2.961    4 
 -1755 Nov 18   08:43   09:01   12:18   15:36   15:53   474.8   14.669  -15.91    2.804    2 
 -1649 May 23   21:54   22:16   00:45   03:13   03:35   696.9    2.872   16.83   15.030    1 
 -1641 May 20   14:26   14:43   18:02   21:20   21:37   459.9    2.732   16.20   14.884    3 
 -1520 Nov 20   21:41   22:16   23:44   01:12   01:47   871.8   14.961  -17.21    3.099    4 
 -1512 Nov 18   09:32   09:51   12:51   15:50   16:10   585.4   14.797  -16.48    2.942    2 
 -1406 May 23   03:31   03:57   05:57   07:56   08:22   780.4    3.024   17.47   15.181    1 
 -1398 May 20   19:19   19:34   23:03   02:31   02:47   384.6    2.883   16.86   15.034    3 
 -1277 Nov 22   21:28   21:53   00:09   02:24   02:49   760.3   15.090  -17.74    3.237    4 
 -1269 Nov 19   10:28   10:49   13:27   16:05   16:26   684.5   14.928  -17.04    3.081    2 
 -1163 May 23   09:07   09:42   11:01   12:20   12:55   858.1    3.177   18.08   15.332    1 
 -1155 May 21   00:28   00:43   04:20   07:57   08:13   295.9    3.036   17.50   15.186    3 
 -1034 Nov 22   21:38   22:00   00:42   03:24   03:45   665.6   15.223  -18.25    3.376    4 
 -1026 Nov 19   11:15   11:42   13:45   15:49   16:15   796.4   15.058  -17.58    3.219    2 

 -0920 May 23   15:00     -     16:00     -     17:00   942.2    3.332   18.67   15.483    1 
 -0912 May 21   05:13   05:28   09:11   12:53   13:08   222.1    3.190   18.11   15.337    3 
 -0791 Nov 22   21:19   21:38   00:43   03:49   04:07   553.1   15.355  -18.74    3.514    4 
 -0783 Nov 19   12:07   12:48   13:58   15:08   15:49   899.2   15.190  -18.10    3.357    2 
 -0669 May 22   10:02   10:17   14:03   17:50   18:05   137.4    3.345   18.69   15.488    3 
 -0548 Nov 22   21:15   21:33   00:54   04:15   04:32   451.2   15.489  -19.21    3.652    4 
 -0540 Nov 19     -       -     13:53     -       -    1012.3   15.322  -18.59    3.494    2 
 -0426 May 22   14:38   14:52   18:41   22:30   22:45    61.5    3.502   19.25   15.638    3 
 -0305 Nov 23   20:39   20:56   00:30   04:04   04:20   335.5   15.623  -19.66    3.789    4 
 -0183 May 22   19:00   19:15   23:04   02:53   03:07    11.0    3.659   19.76   15.788    3 
 -0062 Nov 23   20:19   20:34   00:16   03:58   04:14   229.8   15.759  -20.08    3.927    4 



	
Key to Catalog of Transits

	

		 

	

	

	
Transits of Venus

	Six Millennium Catalog: 0001 CE to 2000 CE

	(Astronomical Years: +0001 to +2000)

	
                      Transit Contact Times (UT)
                -------------------------------------  Minimum   Sun      Sun           Transit
     Date         I      II   Greatest   III     IV      Sep.     RA      Dec     GST   Series
                 h:m     h:m     h:m     h:m     h:m      "       h        °       h

  0060 May 23   23:20   23:34   03:23   07:11   07:25    87.4    3.817   20.25   15.939    3 
  0181 Nov 22   19:36   19:52   23:39   03:27   03:42   114.3   15.895  -20.48    4.064    4 
  0303 May 24   03:27   03:42   07:28   11:13   11:28   157.7    3.977   20.71   16.089    3 
  0424 Nov 22   19:01   19:17   23:05   02:54   03:10     9.6   16.033  -20.86    4.201    4 
  0546 May 24   07:35   07:50   11:31   15:13   15:28   232.3    4.138   21.13   16.239    3 
  0554 May 22   03:42     -     04:51     -     06:00   933.6    3.990   20.72   16.093    5 
  0667 Nov 23   18:20   18:36   22:24   02:11   02:27    99.2   16.172  -21.21    4.338    4 
  0789 May 24   11:33   11:48   15:24   19:00   19:15   307.6    4.300   21.52   16.389    3 
  0797 May 22   06:41   07:18   08:32   09:45   10:23   866.6    4.151   21.14   16.243    5 
  0910 Nov 23   17:28   17:44   21:28   01:11   01:27   207.9   16.312  -21.53    4.475    4 

  1032 May 24   15:18   15:34   19:03   22:32   22:48   373.4    4.463   21.87   16.539    3 
  1040 May 22   10:02   10:29   12:23   14:18   14:45   791.8    4.314   21.52   16.393    5 
  1153 Nov 23   16:45   17:01   20:38   00:15   00:31   307.6   16.454  -21.83    4.613    4 
  1275 May 25   19:00   19:17   22:37   01:57   02:14   444.9    4.627   22.18   16.689    3 
  1283 May 23   13:04   13:27   15:44   18:01   18:25   733.6    4.477   21.87   16.542    5 
  1396 Nov 23   15:43   16:00   19:25   22:49   23:06   424.3   16.595  -22.10    4.750    4 
  1518 May 26   22:28   22:45   01:56   05:06   05:24   505.3    4.791   22.45   16.838    3 
  1526 May 23   16:13   16:34   19:11   21:48   22:08   666.7    4.640   22.18   16.692    5 
  1631 Dec 07   03:51   04:59   05:19   05:40   06:47   939.3   16.912  -22.64    5.045    6 
  1639 Dec 04   14:57   15:15   18:25   21:36   21:54   523.6   16.738  -22.34    4.888    4 
  1761 Jun 06   02:02   02:20   05:19   08:18   08:37   570.4    4.957   22.69   16.988    3 
  1769 Jun 03   19:15   19:34   22:25   01:16   01:35   609.3    4.805   22.44   16.842    5 
  1874 Dec 09   01:49   02:19   04:07   05:56   06:26   829.9   17.056  -22.82    5.182    6 
  1882 Dec 06   13:57   14:17   17:06   19:55   20:15   637.3   16.881  -22.56    5.025    4 




	
Key to Catalog of Transits

	

		 

	

	

	
Transits of Venus

	Six Millennium Catalog: 2001 CE to 4000 CE

	(Astronomical Years: +2001 to +4000)

	
                      Transit Contact Times (UT)
                -------------------------------------  Minimum   Sun      Sun           Transit
     Date         I      II   Greatest   III     IV      Sep.     RA      Dec     GST   Series
                 h:m     h:m     h:m     h:m     h:m      "       h        °       h

  2004 Jun 08   05:13   05:33   08:20   11:07   11:26   626.9    5.121   22.89   17.137    3 
  2012 Jun 06   22:09   22:27   01:29   04:32   04:49   554.4    4.969   22.68   16.991    5 
  2117 Dec 11   23:58   00:21   02:48   05:15   05:38   723.6   17.201  -22.97    5.320    6 
  2125 Dec 08   13:15   13:38   16:01   18:24   18:48   736.4   17.026  -22.74    5.163    4 
  2247 Jun 11   08:42   09:03   11:33   14:04   14:25   691.3    5.289   23.05   17.287    3 
  2255 Jun 09   01:08   01:25   04:38   07:51   08:08   491.9    5.135   22.87   17.141    5 
  2360 Dec 13   22:32   22:52   01:44   04:35   04:56   625.7   17.348  -23.09    5.458    6 
  2368 Dec 10   12:29   13:00   14:45   16:31   17:01   836.4   17.172  -22.90    5.301    4 
  2490 Jun 12   11:39   12:02   14:17   16:32   16:55   741.1    5.454   23.17   17.436    3 
  2498 Jun 10   03:48   04:05   07:25   10:45   11:02   442.7    5.301   23.02   17.290    5 
  2603 Dec 16   20:43   21:02   00:13   03:25   03:43   517.1   17.494  -23.18    5.596    6 
  2611 Dec 13   12:04   13:07   13:34   14:01   15:04   934.8   17.319  -23.03    5.440    4 
  2733 Jun 15   15:02   15:30   17:18   19:06   19:34   808.3    5.623   23.24   17.587    3 
  2741 Jun 13   06:33   06:49   10:17   13:44   14:00   385.6    5.468   23.14   17.440    5 
  2846 Dec 16   19:30   19:47   23:11   02:35   02:52   432.1   17.643  -23.24    5.735    6 
  2854 Dec 14     -       -     12:19     -       -    1026.7   17.466  -23.12    5.578    4 
  2976 Jun 16   17:45   18:19   19:44   21:10   21:44   850.5    5.791   23.28   17.735    3 
  2984 Jun 14   09:01   09:16   12:49   16:22   16:37   336.3    5.634   23.21   17.589    5 

  3089 Dec 18   17:39   17:55   21:31   01:06   01:23   320.6   17.790  -23.27    5.873    6 
  3219 Jun 19   20:50   21:46   22:19   22:52   23:49   908.1    5.957   23.28   17.885    3 
  3227 Jun 17   11:21   11:37   15:13   18:50   19:05   293.4    5.801   23.25   17.738    5 
  3332 Dec 20   16:16   16:32   20:14   23:56   00:12   235.5   17.939  -23.26    6.012    6 
  3462 Jun 22   23:29     -     00:27     -     01:26   948.1    6.123   23.24   18.034    3 
  3470 Jun 19   13:31   13:46   17:26   21:07   21:22   247.9    5.967   23.25   17.887    5 
  3575 Dec 23   14:29   14:44   18:32   22:19   22:34   131.5   18.087  -23.23    6.150    6 
  3705 Jun 24     -       -     02:32     -       -     989.3    6.289   23.16   18.182    3 
  3713 Jun 21   15:25   15:40   19:22   23:05   23:20   215.2    6.133   23.21   18.036    5 
  3818 Dec 25   12:57   13:12   17:01   20:50   21:05    41.1   18.237  -23.16    6.290    6 
  3956 Jun 23   17:22   17:37   21:21   01:06   01:21   175.2    6.300   23.13   18.184    5 



	
Key to Catalog of Transits

	

		 

	

	

	
Calendar Dates

	
The Julian calendar is used for all dates up to 1582 Oct 04. After that date, the Gregorian calendar is used. Due to the Gregorian Calendar reform, the day after 1582 Oct 04 (Julian calendar) is 1582 Oct 15 (Gregorian calendar). Note that Great Britain did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until 1752. For more information, see  Julian and Gregorian Calendars.

	
 

	

	
Visibility of Transits

	
To determine whether a transit is visible from a specific geographic location, it is simply a matter of calculating the Sun's altitude and azimuth during each phase of the transit. The calculations can be performed on any pocket calculator having trig functions (SIN, COS, TAN). Armed with the latitude and longitude of the location, the transit catalog provides all the additional information needed to make the calculations. For the equations and an example of how to calculate the Sun's altitude for a specific location, see  Transit Visibility.

	
As an aid to historical research, two Excel 97 spreadsheet files have been prepared which perform the above calculations automatically. You simply enter the location name, latitude and longitude. Each of the tables then calculates the altitude of the Sun at that location for every contact for several dozen of transits. The two tables cover different time periods:

	
Transits of Venus: 2000 BCE - 1000 CE 

	
Transits of Venus: 1001 CE - 4000 CE 

	
Please note that these files will not open properly unless you have Excel 97 (or newer) installed on your computer. When each of the spreadsheets is downloaded, it will be opened automatically in Excel where you will be able to enter the coordinates of any geographic location to calculate the transit circumstances. The spreadsheets are protected so that you can not accidently delete or edit any information required by the calculations. Only the name and coordinates of the geographic location (in the green box of each spreadsheet) may be modified.

	
The transit times in these tables are based of geocentric calculations. Because of parallax, the observed transit times for any given location may differ by up to 10 minutes. Furthermore, the Sun's actual altitude at a location may differ by up to 1 degree from the tables. Such precision is adequate for many applications especially since the geocentric approximation greatly simplifies the circumstances calculations.

	
 

	

	
Acknowledgments

	
All transit calculations are by Fred Espenak, and he assumes full responsibility for their accuracy. Besselian elements for the transit predictions are from "Transits" by Jean Meeus (Willmann-Bell, 1989). This is an indispensable reference for anyone wishing to do transit calculations.

	
Special thanks to eclipse chaser Michael Gill for enthusiastically and rigorously beta-testing this page and for catching typographic errors. (2003 March)

	
Permission is freely granted to reproduce this data when accompanied by an acknowledgment:

	
"Transit Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC"