Catching a Glimpse of Venus: Observing Planets with a Giant Camera Obscura

Krzysztof Wójcik demonstrates that Venus’s crescent and other bright planets can be observed using a large camera obscura. By optimizing resolution, boosting image brightness with directional screens, and tracking planetary motion, clear visual and photographic results were achieved. The study suggests ancient observers might have seen Venus’s phases this way, offering new insights for astronomy and history.