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Last Post 10/5/2006 6:37 AM by  Terry Kucera
eclipse/transit
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10/4/2006 9:37 AM

    Kevin H (dia)

    Has an eclipse, or "transit" of both the planet venus and mercury ever occured at the same time in front of the sun, that is two at one time?


    Terry Kucera



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    10/5/2006 6:37 AM
    Hi Kevin.
    Transits of Venus are very rare - only about 6 hours twice every 113 years. Transits of Mercury are more common, but still only a few hours every few years. That would make it very, very unlikely that they would ever over lap, and I don't think we will ever see such a thing during our lives.

    One the other hand, the Earth, Venus, and Mercury have been around for around 5 billion years, which is a very, very long time, so it is possible that at some point during that time it has happened. Maybe someone good at calculating orbits could figure it out.

    Terry


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