Venus appeared in the field of view of ESA/NASA’s SOHO satellite on 1 June, and has been fast approaching ahead of transit on 5-6 June. SOHO’s LASCO instrument won’t be able to see the transit because its coronagraph blocks out the bright solar disc so that it can study the fine detail of the Sun’s atmosphere. Here it provides a unique view of the soon-t0-be transiting planet, which is currently difficult to observe from Earth while it is bathed in the Sun’s glare.
Venus approaches the Sun. Credits: SOHO/ESA/NASA