8 June 2004

Tasmanian amateur astronomer prepares for the transit of Venus

Australia's National Nine News reports that amateur astronomer Shevill Mathers has made extensive preparations to observe the transit of Venus on 8 June 2004.

Mathers, who is president of the Astronomical Society of Tasmania, will be observing not far from where U.S. scientists conducted observations of the transit of Venus some 130 years ago.

Mathers, who is a retired medical scientist and astrophotographer, will be using much more sophisticated observing equipment than was available 130 years ago. He has prepared four telescopes and various still and video cameras for the observations.

For more information about Shevill Mathers's observing plans, visit Australia's National Nine News at http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=9630