Sliven

Team One Astronomical observatory

Moments of the ІІІ and ІV contacts in UT

φ=42,667°; λ=26,317°; h=228m

І and ІІ contact are not registered due to dense cloudiness continued to 8,30 UT. After the sky became clear wind in blasts came out with speed of 4-5 m/s and that continued to the end of the observation. The telescope 150/2250 is in a pavilion. The telescope 63/840 was mounted in open and the wind  influenced greater on its stability. The air-temperature was about 24°С.

ІІІ contact:

Nikolai Kacharov:  11h.03m.38,27s.; visual with telescope150/2250 and magnification W=140x
Veselina Kalinova: 11h.04m.26,98s.; visual with telescope 63/840 and magnification W= 84х
 
ІV contact:

Nikolai Kacharov:  11h.22m.48,41s.; visual with telescope 150/2250 and magnification W=140x
Ivanka Gecova:      11h.22m.34,29s.; visual with telescope 63/840 and magnification W= 84х

Team Two Astronomical observatory

Astronomical observatory, observation stage – roof of TCC

Φ = 42,667° N; λ = 26,317° E; H = 261 m

Because of the thick clouds at the beginning of the day and the passage, we didn’t time the I^st and II^nd contacts. Slits began to show up at about 7:30 UT and we took the first picture through the cloud at 7:47. The sky cleared perfectly an hour or so later but wind rose (it was eastern, mild to strong, gusty wind) and it went on blowing till the end of the observation. The roof, where we had installed our telescopes, was uncovered, so the wind affected tangibly their stability. Air temperature, measured by the Weather Observatory – Sliven at 9:00 UT was 20,1°C and at 12:00 UT – 23,6°C.

Diana Kiryakova – Team leader

Participants: Polina Doneva, Marina Koleva, Ivelina Vankova, Elena Slavcheva, Zlatina Vankova, Vasilena Barbayaneva, Plamena Stefanova, Ivelina Kalcheva and Christo Dimitrov.

Observational devices:
Telescope – refractor 100/1000, with SFO – 80 filter and following the Sun. Used for taking pictures with eyepiece multiplication of 25-H and 10-H, with camera “Zenith 12XP”; visual observations with eye-lens revolver; visual location of III^rd and IV^th contact with 10-H eye-lens and Hershel’s prism.
Telescope – refractor 63/840  with following the Sun and solar screen. Used for 16-H eye-lensed solar projection.
Telescope – refractor 63/840 with SFO-80 filter, without following the Sun. Used for public observations with 16-H eye-lens. At first it was enmarked for visual location of the moments of contacts but because of the strong swaying from the wind, contacts were determined by the 100/1000 telescope.
Camera “Canon Power Shot A70”.

III^rd and IV^th contacts were registered by Diana Kiryakova.

Materials about what and how to be observed had been published in the local press, before the Venus’s passage. We had also explained to the local radio stations and cable televisions what the phenomenon was, why it was interesting and what precautions should be taken during observation. Some of the journalists joined during the transit. The phenomenon was also observed by students and other people who came to the observation place.