As the countdown to Venus’ journey across the sun on June 8 hots up, millions across the world are gearing up to catch the celestial phenomenon. With good reason, too. The astronomical event is as rare as it gets — it’s occurring after 122 years.

The craze has caught on in Calcutta as well, with a sudden spurt in the interest in astronomy. Stargazers, professionals and amateurs, are all waiting for V-day.

The timings for all viewing programmes being arranged by private and voluntary bodies around town are the same: 10.45 am to 4.50 pm, the duration of the planet’s ‘transit’ across the solar disc. During the transit, Venus will appear as a small dot on the disc of the sun.

But caution is the keyword, warn experts. Jayanta Sthanapati, director of Birla Industrial and Technological Museum (BITM), said: “During the event, the brightness of the sun will not be reduced. So, it is absolutely necessary to use appropriate filters. Otherwise, it can damage the eye.”

The state government is not taking chances, either, and has already sent out warnings. “We are appealing to people not to view the event with naked eyes or through ordinary sunglasses,” said Jawhar Sircar, principal secretary of department of science and technology.

MP Birla Planetarium, meanwhile, is conducting special shows as a run-up to Tuesday’s celestial tryst. “Out of the seven regular shows, one each in Hindi, Bengali and English have been devoted to the Venus transit,” said Debiprosad Duari of the planetarium. “Families are turning up for the shows and there’s a lot of enthusiasm.”

The planetarium has made arrangements to beam the transit on its lawns through projection. “We’ll be using telescopes and binoculars. We have not made arrangements for viewing through filters, since will not be possible with the crowd we are expecting,” Duari added.

Sunday saw Calcutta Astronomy Centre conducting a curtain-raiser, titled ‘Rendezvous with Venus’, at Bangla Akademi. “Around 200 people attended the show,” said Kaustuv Chowdhury, secretary of the centre.

Bani Sinha, in her 70s, had travelled all the way from Santiniketan for Sunday’s curtain-raiser. “I try to follow these things as much as possible,” she smiled, adding how the Jagabandhu Sky Watchers Association she is a member of is making arrangements for public viewing in Santiniketan.

“We are showing the transit as well,” exclaimed Arnab Chowdhury, a schoolstudent who has formed the Jadavpur Science Association with “like-minded friends” and will be projecting the passage of Venus to those interested on the Andrews College grounds.

The Calcutta Astronomy Centre is making viewing arrangements at Kankurgahchi VIP Market and CD Park in Salt Lake.

“We had a training session for our members on Saturday. They will travel to various parts of the city with equipment and help people catch the phenomenon,” added Basudev Bhattacharya of Sky Watchers’ Association, which would be conducting special programmes at the Dakshinapan shopping complex in Dhakuria and Shyam Park in Shyambazar.

Voluntary organisations and local clubs are organising shows and selling solar filters to viewers. Paschim Banga Bigyan Mancha is organising 400 such shows across the state.

Dos and don’ts for transit Tuesday:

• Do not look at the sun with naked eyes

• Look at the sun with appropriate filter, branded safe by a recognised testing agency. Even then, don’t look at the sun for more than five seconds at a stretch

• The safest way is to watch the transit by projection through a telescope. Normal telescopes can be used for the projection

• While taking photographs, the camera lens must be covered by neutral density filter no. 8. As soon as you spot the sun, take off your eyes and press the shutter.