CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -From the earth, the only planetary transits we can see are those of Mercury and Venus, because those are the only planets that can be between us and the sun. And these are rare events. Transits of Mercury occur about a dozen times a century.

Detailed explanation-2: -The 1761 transit of Venus was a watershed moment in the history of astronomy. It was the first time astronomers would have the opportunity to measure accurately the size of the solar system.

Detailed explanation-3: -The transit of Mercury occurs when the planet Mercury crosses directly between the Sun and the Earth, blocking out a small part of the Sun’s rays. During the transit, Mercury appears as a tiny black dot moving across the disc of the Sun.

Detailed explanation-4: -A transit of Venus across the Sun takes place when the planet Venus passes directly between the Sun and a superior planet, becoming visible against (and hence obscuring a small portion of) the solar disk. During a transit, Venus can be seen from Earth as a small black dot moving across the face of the Sun.