Photographer Captures Venus' Rare Journey Across a Melting Sun

Venus makes its rare journey across the sun. Skywatcher Tamas Ladanyi of The World at Night captured this image from Veszprém, Hungary on June 6. CREDIT: Tamas Ladanyi / astrophoto.hu / twanight.org View full size image

Venus makes its rare transit across a melting sun in this amazing image captured at sunset by a veteran photographer. 

Astrophotographer Tamas Ladanyi of The World at Night took this photo of the 2012 Venus  transit from Veszprém, Hungary on June 6 local time.

“Favorable weather conditions allowed the observation of the rare celestial event,” Ladanyi said. The 2012 transit was viewed by people from North America, Europe, Asia and eastern Africa. Several organizations also provided footage of the event.

The transit of Venus  occurs when the planet passes directly in front of the sun. In the image, one can see what appears to be a tiny dark disc across the face of the sun. This celestial event is very rare, occuring more than a century apart in pairs that are separated by eight years. The next transit of Venus won’t happen till 2117. [Venus Transit 2012: Amazing Photos from Around the World]

Editor's note: If you have an amazing skywatching photo you'd like to share for a possible story or image gallery, please contact managing editor Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com.

Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.