On Tuesday, June 5, at approximately 3:04 p.m., the planet Venus will begin crossing the face of the sun. The most recent transit of Venus was in 2004. The next one will take place in 2117. Venus will be passing between the sun and the Earth, and from our vantage point, Venus will look like a small dot traveling across the sun. But don't view this with the naked eye. You must use special equipment.

Here is a list of special events to celebrate the transit.

Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, 7000 N. Resort Drive
Time: 3-5:30 p.m.
How much: Free and open to the public
Details: Guided by astronomy professionals, guests will look through specialized H-alpha telescopes at the Sun. The event will also include: live video feeds from NASA and Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter, lectures from cultural astronomer Richard Poss and astronomer/child author Steve Kortenkamp, kids’ activities and complimentary solar-filter viewing cards. The event will be followed by a Transit of Venus happy hour in the Cascade lounge at 5:30 p.m., featuring Chasing Venus sauvignon blanc.

University of Arizona’s Biosphere 2, 32540 S Biosphere Road
Time: 3pm – 6pm
How much: Free and open to the public.
Details: Guests will enjoy live telescope viewing of the Sun and Venus transit along with presentations by local astronomers about the importance of this event. This event is supported by the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association and the University of Arizona College of Science.
More information: More information at http://www.b2science.org..

University of Arizona, presented by Flandrau Science Center and Kuiper Space Sciences:
Time: 3pm – 8pm
How much: Free and open to the public.
Details: Viewing of the Sun and Venus Transit on the UA mall and activities for kids and adults inside the Flandrau Science Center and Kuiper Space Sciences Building, as well as live video feeds of the transit from observatories all over the world, and presentations by University of Arizona astronomers. Additional night sky viewing will follow the Venus Transit at the Flandrau Science Center. Activities will be supported by staff and volunteers from the University of Arizona College of Science, the Planetary Science Institute, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona, and the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association.
More information: Get all the details at http://flandrau.org.

Tumomac Hill, presented by the University of Arizona College of Science, 1675 W. Anklam Road
Time: 5pm – 7:30pm
How much: Free and open to the public.
Details: To celebrate the Venus Transit on June 5th, we are hosting an outdoor lecture by Dr. Jarita Holbrook, a Cultural Astronomer, at Tumamoc beginning at 6 pm. She will talk about the relationship between humans and the sky, i.e. how people use the sky. Beginning at 4pm, attendees will be able to safely view the Transit of Venus through a telescope and enjoy additional astronomy-related activities while viewing is ongoing. Telescope viewing will be provided by the Mt. Lemmon Sky Center.
More information: Visit www.tumamoc.wordpress.com

Mt. Lemmon Sky Center, 9800 Ski Run Rd., Mount Lemmon, AZ 85619
Time: 12pm – 10:30pm
How much: $100 for adults, $50 for children
Details: The annals of astronomy record that many people risked their lives in an attempt to see and measure Transits of Venus. The western US is fortunate to see a good fraction of the 2012 Venus transit during our sunset. Also fortunate is that this is the time of year it is most likely to be clear atop Mount Lemmon. Our 9,157 foot elevation at the SkyCenter will give us an advantage to witness Venus crossing the Sun that few can equal. Guests will enjoy safe viewing of the transit with special solar telescopes, spectacular views of sunset from the summit, and experience our SkyNights nighttime stargazing program using the largest dedicated public telescope in the nation. Dinner is included and reservations are required for this once in a lifetime event.
More information: Tickets can be purchased by visiting our website skycenter.arizona.edu/visit/tickets or by calling 520-626-8122.

Kitt Peak National Observatory, Summit of Kitt Peak off HW 86
Time: 2pm – 10pm
How much: 55 adults, $50 seniors and active duty military (with I.D.) $25 children 6-16, FREE to citizens of the Tohono O’odham Nation, $5 discount for Kitt Peak Members.
Details: At Kitt Peak, our Venus Transit Special Event will include hours of transit viewing, along with stargazing and many other activities!New York Times Best-Selling author Andrea Wulf will be signing copies of her newest book, CHASING VENUS, The Race to Measure the Heavens, and giving a public lecture on the Venus transits of the 1700’s. Event also includes a boxed dinner and full after-dark observing session to see Mars and Saturn. This program is intended for beginners and families with children. Minimum age is 6 years old. If you want to stay for after-dark observing, minimum age is 8 years. Complimentary solar-safe viewing glasses will be provided.
More information: http://www.noao.edu/outreach/kpvc/venus-transit.php