HINODE captured the transit of Venus across the Sun

On June 6 (Wed.), HINODE captured images of Venus passing in front of the Sun, which was an astronomical spectacle observed from all over Japan. The acquired images show that the rim of Venus was brightened like a ring due to sunlight that underwent a refraction bend through Venus' atmosphere, when Venus was about to come in front of the Sun from its north-eastern side. An astronaut staying at the International Space Station also took images of the transit of Venus across the sun.

June 6, 2012