VENUS ON THE SUN
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 John Pazmino
 NYSkies
 john.pazmino{at}moondog.com
 2004 June 11 

Introduction
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    I hoped to see this transit since my early days in the profession. 
From accounts of the 18th and 19th century instances, it was no 
question that I should do everything possible to witness the next one 
on 2004 June 8. 
    Inquiries last year for a trip to Europe to see the transit turned 
up nothing that grabbed me. By year end 2003 I designed to watch it 
from some where in New York City. The 1-1/2 hour duration here, from 
sunrise thru fourth contact, would be enough of a show for me. 

Central Park?
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    One obvious place to view the transit from was an elevated spot in 
Central Park. Altho the park is ringed by towers, making it a 'basin' 
in the middle of Manhattan, there are long low sightlines to the 
northeast horizon from within it. Discussions with the NYC Urban Park  
Rangers gravitated toward the terrace of Belvedere Castle. This 
edifice is on a hill looking over all intervening trees and park 
structures. The towers beyond on Fifth Av would block the geometric 
sunrise, but the Sun would clear their tops after a few minutes. 
    In mid May 2004 the Rangers had to call off the Belvedere Castle 
project. The corps was getting extra busy with other park functions. 
The approaching summer season  was bringing increased demand for its 
services. Oh, I could use the Castle grounds by myself; there just 
would be formal R anger event for the transit. 

Carl Schurz Park? 
 ---------------
    Paralleling the plans for Central Park, many city astronomers, 
singly or in groups, were scheming to view from Carl Schurz Park. This 
is a promenade along the East River flank of Manhattan in the Upper 
East Side. It's really the roof of a 6-lane highway, FDR Drive, 
skirting the riverfront. Carl Schurz Park offers a clear view to the 
northeast horizon over East River. 
    Plotting sightlines on street maps revealed that the Sun would 
rise thru the cables of Triboro Bridge! What a photo that would make! 
    A flurry of other suggested sites came along in the weeks before 
the transit, some actually quite promising. The gotcha for me was that 
from my home in Brooklyn, all were a nasty ride away during owl hours. 
In the end, I figured that if I had to travel for any place, I should 
go where the main crowd of astronomers were going, Carl Schurz Park. 

Weather forecasts
 ---------------
    The weather in New York in June can be just about anything from a 
raw chill to stormy rains to blistering heat. The prospects for that 
June 8th were so-so: warm, humid, hazy. Not so much cloud but a thick 
haze that would blunt the sunrays visually, yet leave them burning by 
heat. All in all, the forecasts warned that the Sun may be smothered 
in haze or heavily filtered into a red ball at his rising. Despite the 
possibility of losing the sunrise, the reports assured that after a 
while the Sun would climb out of this haze into clear sky, 
    No one asserted that the transit would be clouded out from the 
City and surrounds. And no rain was seen for the night before. 
    Personally, I feared a waterfront site for possible sea fog. Such 
fog completely blocks the Sun. Normally this is of little concern, fir 
it burns off a couple hours after sunrise. A 'couple hours after 
sunrise' means losing the whole transit!

My mind is made up 
 ----------------
    The previous weekend I prepared my gear for Carl Schurz Park. I 
needed a long telephoto lens, camera body, tripod, accessories, solar 
filters. I chose my Vivitar solid-cat 800m f11 lens for being a nice 
long focal length, yet compact and sturdy. It also avoided focus 
problems because it had a definite infinity mark which by experience I 
knew was accurate. 
    This lens is a brother of Vivitar's fabled 600mm f8 model, one of 
which I lost in the great Eclipse Theft of 2003 November 8. Altho I 
since then obtained a replacement, I picked the 800mm jobbie to get a 
bigger prime focal image of the Sun. There is no corona or other off-
disc features to worry about, like there are for a solar eclipse. The 
solar filter for the 600mm lens fits this longer lens, the two having 
identical fuselages. 
    The camera body was a Miranda model G, with a clear nondiffusing 
screen, critical focuser, and cable release. My TiltAll Jr tripod 
supported this rig.
    I tossed in a few computer mouse pads. These I would place under 
the tripod feet to damp vibrations. The promenade is a thin shell deck 
roofing a busy highway. 
    I went to bed early on Monday night, the 7th, with the intent to 
set off for the Park regardless of weather, save for actual heavy 

 Continued in next message.

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