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Venus transit viewing options in the D.C. area

By WTOP Staff

WASHINGTON – There are viewing parties in the D.C. area set up to watch Venus cross the face of the sun Tuesday. The transit will be visible in the region at about 6 p.m. until the sun sets at 8:30 p.m.

(Scroll down for live streams of the transit event from NASA and tips on how to safely view the transit yourself)

Here’s a list of viewing events, courtesy of our partners at WJLA, who recommend arriving at 5:30 p.m. to the locations below:

    National Air and Space Museum
    6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
    Admission: Free

    University of Maryland Observatory
    Roof of Stadium Drive Garage
    5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

    Riverbend Park
    8700 Potomac Hills Street, Great Falls, Va.

    Cub Run RECenter
    4630 Stonecroft Blvd., Chantilly, Va.

    Nottoway Park
    9601 Courthouse Road, Vienna, Va.

    Kettler Iceplex
    627 N. Glebe Road, #800, Arlington, Va.

    The National Science Foundation
    4201 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, Va.

    Montgomery College
    Rockville Campus: Parking Lot 13 at the corner of Mannakee Street and Route 355
    Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus: Top of the parking garage at Fenton and King streets
    Contacts: Dr. Carrie Fitzgerald (Rockville campus) – 240-567-5415
    Dr. Harold Williams (Takoma Park/Silver Spring) – 240-567-1463

    NASA Goddard Visitor Center – Greenbelt, Md.
    5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
    Contacts: Susan Hendrix (susan.m.hendrix@nasa.gov) – 301-286-8955

Reminder: Don’t stare directly at the sun without eclipse glasses, a properly filtered telescope or a strong welding visor. Permanent eye damage could result.

Here are several options for viewing the Venus transit, courtesy of NASA:

  • A widely available filter to use is a No. 14 welder’s glass, but make sure the filter is No. 14 or darker. Arc welders typically use glasses with a shade that’s much less than what you need for solar viewing.
  • A telescope with a solar filter will provide a filtered and magnified view of the transit, including views of Venus and sunspots. But make sure to avoid small solar filters that can be attached to a telescope’s eyepiece, which can be found in older and cheaper telescopes.
  • A pinhole projector can offer an indirect and safe view of the transit, but you won’t be able to see things like the halo around Venus. For how to create and use this simple tool, follow this link.
  • Other methods include projecting the sun’s image with a projecting telescope or binoculars, and using a telescope viewer. For more information on these methods, follow this link.

NASA TV also will have updates from the nearly 150 countries hosting viewing parties and will air images of the transit taken from the International Space Station and NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and Solar Dynamics Observatory. Watch below:


Streaming by Ustream

If you prefer to follow along with the transit on social media, see #venustransit tweets below:

Finally, for more information about the transit, check out this video from NASA:

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP and The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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