Venus begins to pass in front of the sun, as visible from New York, Tuesday, June 5, 2012. From the U.S. to South Korea, people around the world turned their attention to the daytime sky on Tuesday and early Wednesday in Asia to make sure they caught the once-in-a-lifetime sight of the transit of Venus, which won't be seen for another 150 years. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)From Alaska to Seoul, Virginia Beach to Mexico City, people were transfixed on the spectacle in the sky this week.
And with good reason: Venus won't cross in front of the sun for another 105 years. And chances are, that will be beyond our lifetimes.
And so people watched on the street, at observatories, schools and even online. The show - called a transit - lasted 6-hours and 40 minutes and had to be viewed through special telescopes or with the naked eye through cardboard glasses or other viewing devices.