Venus will do something today it has not done in more than a century - it will line up exactly against the sun this morning, creating a black dot only visible through a telescope in what is called the transit of Venus.
The transit will occur at about 6 a.m. and last until about 7:26 a.m.
David Batch, director of the Abrams Planetarium said the transit is an extremely rare phenomenon.
"The last time this happened was 122 years ago in 1882," Batch said. "The reason why it is so rare is that about every year and a half Venus passes between the Earth and sun. Venus's orbit is not perfectly aligned with the orbit of Earth, so it is usually above or below the sun."
The event is one of the most rare astronomical phenomenon Batch said, considering lunar and solar eclipses occur roughly five to seven times a year.
Many in the astronomy community are planning on witnessing the transit. David DeBruyn, chief curator for the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium in Grand Rapids said he and other astronomers will head east to get more time to see the transit.
"You should go as far east as you can," DeBruyn said. "For every 100 miles you travel east you gather 10 minutes of observing time."
"It will look like a black dot against the sun's brilliant surface."
For people who want to view the transit closer to home, Abrams Planetarium will allow people to get a closer view by setting up telescopes on the roof of the parking ramp near the planetarium. The viewing session will be free and open to the public.
Abrams Production Coordinator John French said although the transit isn't as visible as a solar eclipse or lunar eclipse, it is still a worthwhile experience.
"The fact that it is so rare makes it interesting and exciting," French said. "The transits tend to come in pairs, and are usually separated by 8 years, so we'll have another one in 2012, but if you miss that one there won't be another one until 2117."
Batch said besides being rare, the transit has historical significance.
"Early in the 1700s we didn't know the absolute distance between the sun and the earth," Batch said. "Scientists noticed the transit of Venus from varying places on the Earth's surface was an accurate termination of the distance between Earth and sun."
Batch also said the pursuit of seeing the transit from different places on Earth drew explorers.
"Explorer James Cook's first voyage of exploration was to Tahiti to time the transit of Venus," Batch said. "In some sense, by getting up early, you're connecting with that voyage of discovery, and I think that's worth a few hours of lost sleep."
French and DeBruyn both said people who want to see the transit need special equipment to do so, including special glasses to protect their eyes.
Mark Hammergren, astronomer at Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum in Chicago, said the work is worth it, however, because the transit is an exciting experience for people to participate in.
"It's interesting to be able to see another planet passing over the sun," Hammergren said. "Watching it creep slowly over the face of the sun is a really strange and unsettling way to be reminded we live in a dynamic universe."
