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The Hubble CCD is designed to detect the faintest of light, light photons that have traveled billions and billions of light years.
And the CCD chip would surely melt if all the sunlight collected by a mirror 8 feet in diameter were focused on it.
In other words, it does not have the filters to handle all that light. I might also add that that much sunlight can also do permanent damage to the optics. The only way to safely use the Hubble for solar observations would be to placed appropriate full aperture Ha filters at the telescope opening, something that was never seriously considered when the scope was designed.
Venus is currently nearing inferior conjuction, which it will reach on June 5, 2012. When it does this, it is closest to us and increases greatly in brightness, especially when this happens in Spring. Venus will transit the Sun - be able to be seen crossing the face of the Sun - on June 5, 2012. This will be only the second time this as happened since 1882 (the last one was 2004) and will not happen again until December 11, 2117. If you don't have a telescope or solar filter, the easiest way to view this event is to take a large piece of cardboard or similar and poke a small hole (as round as possible) into it. Hold the board away from a wall or similar screen for projection of the image. The farther away from the cardboard the "wall" is, the larger the image will be. Also, the larger the hole, the farther the image will have to be from the cardboard to get a focused image. The cardboard will cast a shadow onto the wall and will also serve to give great constrast.
The transit for the United States and Canada will start at the following times:
6:04pm Eastern Time
5:04pm Central Time
4:04pm Moutain Time
3:04pm Pacific Time
Venus will look like a large black dot crossing the Sun. Assuming your image of the Sun is right-side-up, it will be near the top of the Sun. Sunspots should be seen too! If you want any more info, email me at charlespsands@yahoo.com. I've been an amatuer astronomer since 1986.
Please note that this event will last some seven hours, so it will not be possible to see the entire event from the lower 48 states. However, weather permitting, it will be an event worth watching. I plan to take as many photos I can and stitch them together into a video.
Please note that this event will last some seven hours, so it will not be possible to see the entire event from the lower 48 states. However, weather permitting, it will be an event worth watching. I plan to take as many photos I can and stitch them together into a video.
Yea. Here in the Nashville area, we should have about 2.5 hours. I saw the last one JUST as it ended at Sunrise. I saw it through the scope while Venus was still fully against the Sun's disk. By the time I could photograph it, hoever, Venus has already made third contact.
Yea. Here in the Nashville area, we should have about 2.5 hours. I saw the last one JUST as it ended at Sunrise. I saw it through the scope while Venus was still fully against the Sun's disk. By the time I could photograph it, hoever, Venus has already made third contact.
Charles Sands
37129
Same for us here in Louisville. I just hope the weather cooperates.
The transit begins at 2:04 PM Alaska time, and sunset will not be until 12:19 AM. So we should be able to watch the entire transit.
I'm jealous!
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The Hubble CCD is designed to detect the faintest of light, light photons that have traveled billions and billions of light years. 
