"It's a unique experience," said Mike Shanahan, director of education at the Bishop Museum. "And a live webcast from Greece is kind of cool."

Venus, second planet from the sun, Earth's nearest neighbor and usually one of the brightest objects in the night sky, will appear as a dark ball about 1/30th the size of the sun.

The planet Venus makes the transit across the face of Sol twice every century or so. The transits occur in pairs eight years apart. The last pair was in 1874 and 1882. The second of this century's pairs will be in 2012, and Hawai'i will be an excellent place to watch that half of the show.

Tonight's transit will be visible from Europe, Africa, Asia and the eastern United States. In Hawai'i, the sun will set just as the planet begins its journey.

Good places to watch the transit often have been difficult to find, according to museum officials.

Capt. James Cook was dispatched to Tahiti to watch the 1769 transit. His viewing spot was later named "Point Venus."

A book written by Michael Chauvin and recently published by the Bishop Museum Press chronicles the 1882 transit as seen by a British expedition to Hawai'i. The book is titled "Hokuloa," which is the Hawaiian name for the planet. It means "long star."

Venus next transits the sun in 2117 and 2125. For more information on the transit, go to www.transitofvenus.org.