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2012 transit of venus. months of preparation and testing/trial runs. worrying over weather forecasts. two weeks of solid cloud cover prior to the day, waking early to look outside and see stars (no clouds!). My viewing site was behind my home adjacent to a major road. Got to photograph the entire event (even through the clouds that drifted in towards the end). watching and realising this transit event in the cycle was last seen by James Cook before "discovering" Australia as an afterthought was an almost spiritual experience. And I was all alone, I wanted to run out into traffic and drag people out of their cars to take a look. I then read Chasing Venus, and realised I had gone through many similar trials and tribulations and emotional roller coaster in my journey to catch the transit.
Seeing Jupiter or Saturn through an eyepiece still thrills me, but the transit was a strong experience for me, far beyond all others.
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