The Transit of Venus, one of the rarest of predictable astronomical phenomena, takes place when the planet passes directly between the Earth and Sun. TIME takes a look at photographs from the once-in-a-lifetime event.
The Transit of Venus: Photographs from a Rare Celestial Event
Patrick Pleul / DPA / ZUMA Press
Planet Venues passes by in the early morning sky above the town of Lebus, Germany, June 6, 2012.
