People around the world will see a major astrological event live tomorrow (Tuesday 8 June) thanks to the role played by Charles Sturt University’s remote telescope in broadcasting the transit of Venus.

The project involves CSU sending high quality video feed while the transit across the sun is visible over Australia to the University of Central Lancashire which will then broadcast the images throughout Europe.

People accessing the CSU telescope website will also be able to see the sight live on their home or school computers which provides a safe way to view the phenomenon.

No living person has seen a transit of Venus because the most recent one occurred in 1882.

CSU education lecturer and head of the Remote Telescope project Dr David McKinnon said it was fitting that the University of Central Lancashire was involved because the first recorded observations of a transit of Venus were made in 1639 at a tiny Lancashire village by Jeremiah Horrocks.

The Bathurst Community Wireless Network is setting up a link from the telescope at Bathurst Observatory through to the NSW Land and Property Information building in Panorama Avenue, Bathurst. CSU will then take over with a fibre optic link to the university and from there to the internet.

“We will broadcast the transit on our website from 3 pm and, once it disappears from our view, we will take feed from the University of Central Lancashire when it becomes visible in the northern hemisphere,” Dr McKinnon said.

He added that 600 people could connect to the website at anyone time. “If the number is over that, people should wait a few minutes and then try again.” he said.

The transit of Venus can be viewed at the CSU Remote Telescope website.