Space Jam

Describing something as “twice in a lifetime” doesn’t have quite the romantic ring that “once in a lifetime” carries. But when it comes to cosmic events, the transit of Venus makes for an astronomically must-see occurrence.

Every 243 years the planet named for the goddess of love (and, interestingly, the only planet named after a woman) passes between the Sun and Earth two times in an eight-year period. The next transit takes place from 6:30 p.m. until sunset on Tuesday, June 5, before another multi-century gap. To properly view the planet’s movement across the Sun, hit up the Venus Transit & Star Party starting at 3 p.m. at Paradise Valley Community College’s Black Mountain Campus.

Tue., June 5, 3-9:20 p.m., 2012