The Transit of Venus is a 4-minute video in high-resolution available as free download in full-dome video for digital theaters. The mini-show summarizes the history and significance of the transit of Venus while preparing viewers for the June 5-6th, 2012, spectacle.

The video introduces the transit of Venus, its historical significance, and modern applications of the transit method in the search for habitable planets around distant worlds. The story segues from Jeremiah Horrocks' first sighting, to expeditions seeking to measure the size of the solar system, to the Kepler spacecraft detecting planets as they transit distant stars.

With animation and video effects by Patrick McPike, Multimedia Artist and Technical Director at the Adler Planetarium, the dome master is readily compatible with full-dome digital theaters. The show is written and directed by Chuck Bueter, and narrated by Douglas Osthimer.

The dome master can be sliced and encoded for individual projector types and is also available at no cost to manufacturers who choose to offer this service freely to their users.

The files are available at 1K, 2K and 4K to planetariums and digital theaters to download. The original song "Morning Star" by the band Transit of Venus from New Zealand is also available for free download.

Source: NASA Solar System Exploration, Transit Of Venus.org