[FPSPACE] Observing the clouds of Venus with a solar telescope

[LARRY KLAES]

Sunspot, NM (Feb. 7, 2006) -- The planet Venus is best known for the thick 
layers of clouds that veil its surface from view by telescopes on Earth. But 
the veil has holes, and a New Mexico State University scientist plans on 
using a solar telescope to peer through them to study the weather on Venus.

"Observations of Venus from a nighttime telescope at a single location are 
very difficult because Venus is so close to the Sun in the sky," said Dr. 
Nancy Chanover, a planetary scientist at NMSU in Las Cruces, NM. "You can 
observe it for about two hours at most." Then the Sun rises and blinds the 
telescope (or Venus sets, depending on the time of year).

http://www.nso.edu/press/venus06/