Transit of Venus: Venustransit

The Transit of Venus has fascinated astronomers for centuries. In 1769 Captain James Cook sailed to the Pacific with a group of scientists to observe the Transit in Tahiti - but Cook had also received secret orders to voyage onwards in search of the fabled `Unknown Southern Continent'. It was on this voyage that he made landfall at Tolaga Bay, met the local Maori and initiated the first positive encounter between Europe and Aotearoa/New Zealand.Nearly 250 years later three German poets flew to the Pacific to join with three New Zealand poets in observing another Transit of Venus. They came together at a gathering hosted by the Tolaga Bay Uawa community that used the focus of this historically significant event to consider how science might make a difference to New Zealand's future.In poems presented in both English and German, these six remarkable voices present a fresh series of encounters between Europe and New Zealand and record a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The next Transit of Venus will not be seen until 2117.

Urike Almut Sandig is a Berlin poet who works with various composers and musicians. Hinemoana Baker is a Wellington poet, musician and teacher. Glenn Colquhoun is a poet, children's writer, and GP. Uwe Kolbe is a poet, translator and lecturer who lives in Hamburg. Brigitte Oleschinski is a Berlin poet, essayist and performer. Chris Price is a Wellington poet, nonfiction writer, musician and teacher.