AP Photos: Looking up, Earth watches Venus

(AP) – From Alaska to Tokyo, Virginia Beach to Mexico City, people were transfixed on the spectacle in the sky this week.

And with good reason: Venus won’t cross in front of the sun for another 105 years. And chances are, that will be beyond our lifetimes.

And so people watched on the street, at observatories, schools and even online. The show _ called a transit _ lasted 6-hours and 40 minutes and had to be viewed through special telescopes or with the naked eye through cardboard glasses or other viewing devices.

Here’s a look at how the rare celestial spectacle was viewed _ and some images of the event itself.

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