The 2012 transit of Venus between the Earth and the Sun

The rare astronomical event, known as the Transit of Venus, occurs on June 5-6, 2012. The last transit occurred in December 2004. They occur in pairs eight years apart. Not everyone across the globe will see it. The NASA/GSFC visibility chart shows that the entire transit can be seen from the west Pacific Rim (provided by Fred Espenak in the cloud map by Jay Anderson). However, most of the world will see the partial transit. Excellent sites for viewing a partial transit can be found in southwestern America, the Middle East, and Madagascar. Regions that won’t see it are Africa (southwest and northwest) and most of South America. The best place to see it is likely to be northern Australia.

(http://rses.anu.edu.au/~jcali/eclipses/PLANNING/ToV2012p/2012TransitOfVenus.html)

The previous pair occurred in 1874 and 1882. The next pair will occur in hundred years, in December 2117 and December 2125.

A Transit of Venus occurs when Venus passes across the face of the Sun. The Mayans felt this was a critical event, and would foretell what would happen at year's end, at the end of the Mayan calendar December 21, 2012. The Mayans also felt the lunar eclipse of June 4 and the transit of Venus on June 5-6 were bound together in meaning, and that it was not a coincidence that they were happening together. Despite the foreboding predicted by the Mayans, the Transit of Venus is one of the most remarkable aspects of astronomy.

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2016 update on Rike Park, Tbilisi: from construction to busy park

From a flat patch of uninteresting dirt, Rike Park in Tbilisi, Georgia, has transformed in four years (from 2014-2016) into a busy park full of trees, flower beds, sculptures, fountains, and events. Rike (Rikhe) Park is on the left bank of the Mt’k’vari River (the Kura River) near the Old City of Tbilisi. The Peace Bridge links the right bank to Rike Park. Rike Park is below the hillside Presidential Palace and, via cable car, it is the starting point for the ride to Sololaki Ridge (with the Narikala Fortress and the Mother of Georgia statue). The glass box-shaped cable car terminus was opened on 23 June 2012, and since then the park has continually developed into a ‘people’s park’ where people can walk around, eat at the nearby restaurants, sit next to the statue of American president Ronald Reagan, climb the steps to Avlabari district, and access the sights of Meidan Square, the Peace Bridge, the Metekhi Church, the Old City, the waterfall, the sulphur baths, and t...

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. ...

Hop on hop off bus tourism comes to Tbilisi, Georgia

City Sightseeing buses have arrived in Tbilisi. The iconic red double-decker buses, a feature of many cities around the world since the company was established in Seville, Spain in 1999, is now in six continents and almost 100 cities. The company established its Tbilisi business in November 2013, with its operations commencing in February 2014. The 90-minute tour stops at 11 major locations in Tbilisi (with 2 to 5 minute waiting times at each location): the Old City (where it commences), Freedom Square, Rose Revolution Square, Marjanishvili Square, the Dry Bridge, Konka, Avlabari, Metekhi, Akhundov Museum, the Sulfur Baths, and European Square. Passengers can hop off at any stop and see the sights, hopping back onto the next bus at any time. Alternatively, passengers can remain on the bus for the whole tour and take photographs when the bus stops at each location. There are one day (24-hour) passes (for 35 lari – about $20) and 48-hour passes for 55 lari, with family d...

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