TRANSIT OF VENUS
08 JUNE 2004
TRACE WHITE LIGHT "3D" STEREOGRAMS

TRANSIT OF VENUS "STEREOGRAMS"

Four "right/left" stereograms have been constructed from images of the 8 June 2004 transit of Venus using processed imagery from the Transition Region Coronal Explorer (TRACE) spacecraft.  Our imaging program, and the images which resulted from it, are described HERE.  The four stereograms presented below highlight two phenomenon: the forward scattering and refraction of sunlight through the atmosphere of Venus seen against the sky background during ingress and egress (top and bottom panels), and the instants of internal tangencies of the solar and Cytherian disks (contacts II and III, second and third panels) the geometrical configuration associated with "Black Drops" reported from ground-based observations.

To view each of the stereograms pairs presented on this page, place a pair at the level of your eyes at a distance of about half a meter. Your nose should be on a line between the two images.  If you are nearsighted use your corrective lenses, even if the images are in focus for you at that distance.  Make sure your head is vertical (i.e., your eyes horizontal and your head not "tilted").  Allow your eyes to "cross" (as if you were looking at an object only about 100 cm from your eyes).  Allow right and left images to fuse into a single image.  Allow time for your eyes to "relax", as they will adjust to focus for an object which is at the distance of the screen - but your binocular vision is telling your brain is much closer.  If you are not used to viewing stereograms this may "feel" unnatural (and it is) and the image will go in and out of "fusing" until your eyes relax to this viewing situation.  After you have adjusted to this, and the image is stabily fused for a few seconds, you will see Venus "floating" in front of the Sun.  Take a minute or two to view each image pair in this way, for the longer you look the more your eyes will "relax" into viewing in this mode.

The in-line "low resolution" stereogram images below are presented at 1/3 the resolution (and size for 72 pixel per inch web-based viewing) of the original TRACE images.  Higher resolution images, at half and full TRACE optical resolution (at 72  pixels per inch) are available for viewing/download. The "3D" effect is more profound for the larger, and higher resolution images, and you will be able to view them from a larger distance, which is more relaxing for your eyes. Enjoy! 

Click to see: MEDIUM RESOLUTION, FULL RESOLUTION images.




This page may be freely linked from other web pages.  Use of these images in print or other media will generally be granted upon request.  Please direct inquires to Glenn Schneider.

Inquires to: gschneider@as.arizona.edu (or gschneider@mac.com)

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