# Venus Transit of 1882: Measuring the Solar System

Hi, this is Alex Cantrowitz. I'm the host of Big Technology podcast, a long time reporter

and an on-air contributor to CNBC. And if you're like me, you're trying to figure out how

artificial intelligence is changing the business world and our lives. So each week on Big Technology,

I bring on key actors from companies building AI tech and outsiders trying to influence it,

asking where this is all going. They come from places like Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, and

plenty more. So if you want to be smart with your wallet, your career choices, and meetings with

your colleagues in at dinner parties, listen to Big Technology podcast wherever you get your

podcasts. Astronomy Tonight podcast. This is your Astronomy Tonight podcast. Welcome back,

Star Glazers. Today we're celebrating one of the most pivotal moments in modern astronomy,

and it happened right here on March 24th, on this date in 1882. The transit of Venus across

the sun occurred. And let me tell you, this was the event of the astronomical calendar that year.

Imagine this, establishes from around the globe, from the frozen tumours of Siberia,

to the sweltering deserts of Africa, all pointing their telescopes at the same tiny dark dot,

creeping across our stars' brilliant face. Why was everyone so excited? Well, dear listeners,

this transit was crucial for calculating the astronomical unit, essentially measuring the

distance from Earth to the Sun. This wasn't just academic naval gazing, it was the key to

understanding the scale of our entire solar system. By observing the transit from multiple locations

on Earth, and timing exactly when Venus entered and exited the Sun, astronomers could triangulate

the distance using parallax. Basically, the ultimate cosmic geometry problem. The 1882 transit was

particularly special, because it was the last one of the 19th century. After this, Star Glazers

would have to wait until 2004 to see another one. That's 122 years. Imagine waiting over a century

for an astronomical show. Thank you for listening to another episode of Astronomy Tonight. Please

subscribe to the Astronomy Tonight podcast, and if you'd like more information about the events

in phenomena we discuss, head over to quietplease.ai. Thank you for listening to another quiet

please production. Hi, this is Alex Cantrowitz. I'm the host of Big Technology podcast, a long time

reporter and an on-air contributor to CNBC. And if you're like me, you're trying to figure out how

artificial intelligence is changing the business world and our lives. So each week on Big Technology,

I bring on key actors from companies building AI tech and outsiders trying to influence it.

Asking where this is all going, they come from places like Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, and

plenty more. So if you want to be smart with your wallet, your career choices, and meetings with

your colleagues and at dinner parties, listen to Big Technology podcast wherever you get your podcasts.