Den', kogda my otkryli Solntse - Anderson Martin

On June 5-6, 2012, the attention of all mankind will be focused on the UNIQUE astronomical phenomenon, which occurs only once every 120 years! Venus will again pass through the disk of the Sun - an important event not only for scientists, but also for many fans of astronomy. Named this unique phenomenon a few hundred years ago allowed scientists to measure the visible diameter of Venus, accurately determine the distance from the Earth to the Sun, and the genius Mikhail Lomonosov - to discover that Venus has an atmosphere. Back in 1769, seventy-seven teams of researchers who knew that the most accurate calculations could be made only on the basis of observations, in places almost inaccessible in the mid-18th century for Europeans - Tahiti and Siberia, South Africa and Mexico - bravely set off. And their adventures turned out to be more exciting than exciting novels!