Objective On June 8, 2004, planet Venus will pass in front of the Sun. This event, a transit, is extremely rare - the last one occurred 121 years ago. Easily observable in Europe, it will most certainly generate unprecedented attention from the media and the public. This project aims at transforming curiosity into knowledge and interest in European science through large-scale pedagogic action, specially geared towards the importance of uncertainty in scientific observations, the leading European role in the discovery of extra-solar planets and the measure of the Universe. This project will set up a large international network of individuals (teachers, students, amateur astronomers, etc.), and institutions (planetariums, science centers, etc.). It will encourage them to participate in real-time measurements of one of the most fundamental astronomical parameters, the distance from the Earth to the Sun. It will explain the relation of this event to a current front-line research area, the search for extra-solar planets by the transit method; the only one, which, in the near future, will enable the discovery of Earth-size planets and thus possibly, alien habitable worlds. The project will promote international collaboration throughout Europe, and also in Africa and Asia, by observing the same rare celestial event, debating it via web and adding local observational contributions to a large, common database. The project is centred on the delivery of the detailed explanation in all European languages of all aspects (scientific, technical, historical etc.) of the event itself and its implication in the search for life, and on the involvement of media, teachers and amateur astronomers to ensure the highest return. The Internet will be the main vector of interaction. To emphasize the sociological importance of this event, a video contest will be launched. The project will be thoroughly evaluated in terms of impact and management in a Final Event during the Science Week. Keywords Astronomy Venus Transit extra-solar planets internet-based activities teaching materials the scale of the Universe Programme(s) FP6-SOCIETY - Science and society: specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration : "Structuring the European Research Area" under the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006 Topic(s) SOCIETY-1 - Bringing research closer to society SOCIETY-3.1 - Public understanding and confidence Call for proposal FP6-2002-SCIENCEANDSOCIETY-2 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme SSA - Specific Support Action Coordinator EUROPEAN SOUTHERN OBSERVATORY EU contribution No data Address Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2 GARCHING Germany See on map Total cost No data Participants (3) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all OBSERVATOIRE DE PARIS France EU contribution No data Address Avenue Denfert-Rochereau, 77 PARIS See on map Total cost No data EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION FOR ASTRONOMY EDUCATION Germany EU contribution No data Address Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2 GARCHING See on map Total cost No data ASTRONOMICAL INSTITUTE - ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC Czechia EU contribution No data Address Observatory Ondrejov Fricova1 ONDREJOV See on map Total cost No data
